The Break
by lickitysplit
Summary: A mystery surrounding Princess Elizabeth has Meliodas questioning everything he once believed about himself and everyone around them. What is causing this break in his life? Are things really as they seem? Or is something more sinister going on? The more Meliodas works to uncover the truth, the more it becomes clear that the truth is not as simple as it once was. Now Complete!
1. Waiting

**Summary:** A mystery surrounding Princess Elizabeth has Meliodas questioning everything he once believed about himself and everyone around them. What is causing this break in his life? Are things really as they seem? Or is something more sinister going on? The more Meliodas works to uncover the truth, the more it becomes clear that the truth is not as simple as it once was.

 **A/N:** Wow! I cannot _believe_ I am finally publishing this story. This is something I have been working on for months, and writing for nearly two months solid, with just a few breaks in between. This fic is... very dear to me, and I am excited and nervous and terrified to be sharing it with the world. So please, enjoy, and feel free to let me know what you think. I always respond to reviews and messages, and always glad to hear your thoughts.

There are two people I must thank for their assistance with this fic. Woundedowl, thank you for reading every version and giving me your honest feedback and advice. You helped me work out many difficult angles and I'm so grateful to have you as a friend.

Also, Vetur02, your enthusiasm and beautiful heart gave this fic life when it was on life support. I'll never be able to thank you enough for getting me through the writing of this. And thank you, once again, for providing me with a masterpiece when I came crawling to you with a sketch of yours in hand. I don't know what I did to deserve such beauty in my life.

Thank you all again for giving this fic a try. I will be publishing a chapter every Monday, so please look out each week for the next part. I have several other things in the work right now as well, including one coming later in the week, so please check my profile for any updates to my publishing schedule. This is a wonderful community and I am so proud to be able to share my work here. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

* * *

 **Part One: Waiting**

Meliodas laid on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Slowly he breathed in and out, focusing hard on keeping the room from spinning. When he was certain he could move without falling over, he pushed himself up on one hand, dragging himself into a partial sitting position.

He closed his eyes and swallowed for a moment. Thankfully, the world remained steady, and pleased with this development, he leaned over to the table. A half-filled mug sat there, surrounded by empties, and he gripped it by its handle and brought it eagerly to his lips. After taking a long drought, Meliodas sighed and slid up to lean against the pillows. He was careful to stay on his side of the mattress, careful not to touch the pillow that lay pristinely next to his own.

His head thunked against the wooden headboard of the bed. His stomach was twisting a bit, and Meliodas couldn't remember for a moment the last time he ate. Was it yesterday? The day before? Ban had brought a bowl of something, probably, but he didn't know or even care when that had been. Before that it was King, and before that Gilthunder, maybe. Or was it Howzer? Hawk? Trying to remember made him queasy, so he tipped the mug back and took another drink.

He supposed he should go and find something to eat, maybe splash some water on his face. But that would require getting up, and walking, and probably having to answer questions that he was not interested in being asked. He turned and looked out the window, noting the sun was going down. _Good_. If the Sins were opening the tavern, that meant it would be less likely that one would stop him to give advice or concern or a scolding when he went down to refill his drink.

Meliodas focused back on his breathing as he slowly drained the cup. Another day had slipped by in a haze of alcohol, which made him grateful. Several weeks ago he had concentrated on getting blindingly drunk, and had continued to maintain a perfect level of numbness since then. He hadn't slept much, worried about sleeping off the bulk of the intoxication; so when he felt too sleepy to continue he would prop himself up in bed or on a stool downstairs. That way, if he did manage to doze off it would not be a sound sleep.

The lack of sleep and food, combined with the alcohol, had made him an unpleasant companion. Meliodas was well aware of this, and so spent the vast majority of time in his room, drinking alone. Plus, this allowed him to stumble to the washroom or the window or the bed when he needed, often not requiring any assistance. He didn't bother with a lock on the door, knowing that any of the others could get in whenever they wanted anyway. But they didn't try too terribly often, at least not after the first few days, for which he was glad. It was probably only when Diane or Gil got frustrated enough with his state of intoxication to push one of them up the steps with a plate of food and a fresh change of clothes.

He took another drink, and then another. The mug was almost finished, and then he'd have to make the trek back downstairs, carrying all the cups he could manage to in his arms. He would refill and carry it back to the room, avoiding the questions and concern. Sometimes Ban would help him bring it all up, and even stay to share a drink in silence before leaving him to his misery.

But what the others didn't understand was that he _didn't_ feel any misery. He felt nothing at all, except for tired, or hungry, and once in a while, dizzy. Meliodas was comfortably numb, and it was the perfect state to be in to keep from missing Elizabeth too terribly. He had spent nearly three days methodically getting himself completely and utterly drunk; since then, he had been able to maintain a very nice balance of intoxication that kept the anger and despair at bay.

There had been enough protests when he had announced his plan to get drunk and stay drunk for the foreseeable future. King had gotten angry, and Diane had fretted, and Merlin had pointed out the lunacy of such a plan. Only Ban had clapped him on the back and toasted his very good decision, even agreeing to help him make such a bold goal a reality. He had helped him procure a ridiculous amount of alcohol, the strongest ale in Britannia, and they pledged the first drink to the princess, both draining their cups together in solidarity with one long drink.

It had taken Ban no time at all to pass out with such strong ale. But Meliodas had soldiered on, drinking more than he had ever done in as long as he could remember. And he had a very, _very_ long memory.

He took another sip, then another, and Meliodas sighed, leaning back on his pillow. His stomach rumbled again, and he wondered if he should bother to eat something. Like everything else, eating and sleeping and pretty much anything that required moving seemed like a waste of time. Anything more vigorous than bringing the mug of ale to his mouth, or heading down the stairs to refill, basically. Every time he tried to do any activity, one of the others would start in on him, _when was the last time you… don't you think it's time you should… do you really think Elizabeth would want this…_

There was only one swallow left in his mug, and he closed his eyes and whispered her name to himself as he always did right before he ran out. It was important to remember, he figured. He didn't want to _forget_ Elizabeth. He just didn't want to _feel_. It was a very big difference.

For a bit he laid there on the bed, listening to his own breathing, feeling the warm breeze of the early autumn evening coming in the window. He hadn't shut the window once, some kind of weird superstition taking over his reasoning when he still cared enough to care. Now it was more of a habit, having long accepted the truth that none of it mattered. A habit left over from when Elizabeth was still there, like tucking the blankets under the pillows instead of over, or turning his socks inside out before putting them in the laundry basket.

There was a sudden pain in his lung, and Meliodas winced. He had laid there too long, and now the alcohol was wearing off a bit. The emptiness of the room was beginning to be noticeable, and the familiar ache of not hearing Elizabeth's voice or seeing Elizabeth's smile or feeling Elizabeth's warm presence next to him creeping into his chest. He needed to get up and go get more before the feeling took over. Before the vacuum became overwhelming, and the loneliness and fear and turmoil became real again.

But before he could stand, the door to his room opened with a bang. It startled Meliodas enough to make him snap out, "What the hell do you want?"

He looked up at the intruder, and saw to his surprise, it was Ban. Of all the Sins, he was the last one Meliodas expected to disturb him. His friend stared at him in shock for a moment, looking completely disheveled and frantic and completely _not_ Ban. There was a heavy silence until finally Meliodas growled, his impatience clear, "Well?"

"Captain," Ban finally breathed out. "They… they found her."

* * *

It had been ten months since Meliodas had last seen Elizabeth. Three hundred and two days, to be exact, since they had cleaned up from service and gone upstairs and changed into their bedclothes. Seven thousand, two hundred forty-eight hours since she had turned down the covers and kissed his forehead and reminded him that there was a delivery coming in the morning. Since he had made her laugh by doing an impression of one of the customers. Since he had asked her if she wanted the window closed.

 _Three hundred and two days_. The number replayed in his mind has he ran up the steps of the castle. Three hundred and two days since he had looked up her skirt. Three hundred and two days since she had sewn a rip in Gowther's uniform. Three hundred and two days since she had exclaimed in delight over dessert. Three hundred and two days since she had asked him to leave the window open.

Three hundred and one days since he had woken up to find her gone.

Meliodas was nearly frantic when he finally found the king in his private sitting room. "Where is she?" he shouted when he burst through the door. Baltra had stood and started to speak, his eyes shining; but Meliodas did not hear a word of it, because at that moment, he spotted her silver hair.

"Elizabeth!" His voice was so strange and twisted, hoarse and emotional and very unlike the Dragon Sin of Wrath should sound. Then Meliodas stumbled forward, a sob escaping him as she turned to look at him from her seat on the couch. Her smile was so warm, her wide blue eyes so familiar that he launched himself at her. He grabbed her and hauled her against him, his face pressing against the top of her head as his hands wrapped tightly around her shoulders.

Meliodas inhaled and exhaled slowly, simply breathing in her scent and pressing his fingers firmly into her back. It was so overwhelming to just hold her that he felt lightheaded for a moment; then he realized it may be more the fact that he had consumed his weight in alcohol since that morning. He stepped back slightly, grabbing the sides of her face and tilting it up. A sense of lightheadedness hit him again, but Meliodas could not help the laugh that huffed out of him.

Her hands went to his wrists, and her touch made him shiver. "Sir Meliodas?" she said softly.

"I can't believe it," he said, and then looked up at the king. "How…? Where…?"

"She was found outside of Gouren," Baltra answered. His smile and his eyes were kind, and Meliodas was thankful for his graciousness at that moment.

"Gouren," he murmured, looking back down at Elizabeth with a frown. "We looked there. We _looked_." He couldn't stop touching her hair, stroking her face, wanting to feel the warmth of her skin to prove that she was there. "Why were you in Gouren? What were you doing there?"

Elizabeth shook her head. He felt her thumb stroke along his skin. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

But Meliodas continued, "We looked in that town. We looked in _every single town_. I— I looked there. Where were you?"

She opened her mouth to speak, but Baltra said, "She doesn't know. She doesn't remember."

"What?" The air was oppressive now, and a wave of dizziness sent him reeling. Elizabeth caught him by the arms and he sat down heavily on the seat next to her. Her palm was cool against his burning cheek, and Meliodas looked at her in a daze.

A calming energy washed through him, and Meliodas realized she was healing him. The vertigo subsided immediately, and his nerves, which had been on edge since the moment Ban had burst into his room, were soothed until he could breathe again.

Elizabeth looked at him sadly, her smile soft. "I'm so sorry to have worried you," she said.

"You've been missing," he said, still not quite believing the sight in front of him. "I woke up and you were gone. We didn't know where you were."

She nodded. "Yes, they told me."

Meliodas swallowed. "The window was left open. I think that's how—do you know who it was? Who took you?" The princess only shook her head in response. "Elizabeth," he said. He searched her face for answers that were not there. "You really don't remember? Not anything?"

The princess shook her head, and the king said, "She didn't even know any time had gone by."

Meliodas grit his teeth, wishing Baltra would leave, or at least stop interrupting. He wanted to know _everything_ , to understand this mystery of where she had been and what she had been doing. He needed to hear from her what she knew, any little detail or memory or dream from the past ten months could be the clue he needed to find who had taken her. The sudden urge to draw his sword made his fingers twitch.

"Come on," he said, swaying a bit as he stood. "Let's get you back, and then we can go over everything."

She gave him another smile, this one pure happiness, but the king said, "Go where? She's not going anywhere."

"To the Boar Hat," Meliodas answered evenly. He took Elizabeth's hand and pulled her up to stand. "I'm taking her home."

"She _is_ home, and she just got here. You aren't taking her anywhere. She needs to see a doctor and get rest and—"

"We are going _home_ ," he said.

"Sir Meliodas," Elizabeth said, her hand going to his shoulder. He glared at Baltra for a moment before turning to look at her. "Will you stay here with me tonight?"

The king began to protest, but she interrupted him by saying, "I will stay tonight and see the doctor and do all things you've asked. But only if Sir Meliodas can stay with me. And then…" She smiled down at him again, and he felt his chest flutter. "Then tomorrow, we'll go home."

* * *

Elizabeth was yawning by the time they retired to her bedroom in the castle. Meliodas had never been to it before, and he actually felt a twinge of nervousness as she moved around the unfamiliar room. Her family had hovered over her throughout the evening, and he had to practically shove the king out of the bedroom door after he had sent away her sisters and the fussing servants.

Now they were alone, and he watched her gather nightclothes and brush her hair and pull extra pillows from the closet. He nervously went to the window when she disappeared into the dressing room to check that it was closed and locked. Meliodas let his eyes travel around the room, taking in the vanity and the rich fabrics of the curtains, the thick rug on the floor and the ornate chair. The sounds from the washroom stopped, and Elizabeth emerged in her nightdress looking just as lovely as he had remembered.

She smiled at him sweetly and walked towards him, carrying a bundle. Meliodas cleared his throat and stood up a bit straighter. Why was he so skittish now? Was it because she was there in the flesh after all that time? Was he afraid this wasn't real? Maybe he had fallen asleep on the pillows after all, and when he woke up, he'd have a terrible hangover outmatched only by the pain of discovering Elizabeth was still missing.

But she pressed the bundle into his arms and pushed him gently towards the washroom. "These are fresh clothes," she said, and he frowned in confusion even as she steered him into the room and closed the door. He was supposed to be taking care of her, not the other way around!

Meliodas caught a sight of himself in the mirror and instantly understood why she had felt the need to be concerned for him. His skin was pale, eyes sagging and purple, rimmed with red. His hair hung limply in strings around his face. His clothes were dirty and disheveled, as if he hadn't changed them in days… which was probably the truth, now that he thought about it. He flushed a bit with embarrassment to think that this was how she had seen him for the first time in ten months. Quickly he poured himself fresh water and grabbed the soap to freshen up as best as he could. The shirt and pants she had given him were a tad bit loose, but comfortable enough, and in a few minutes he felt a hundred times better than he had in a long, long time.

Eagerly he returned to the bedroom, and the sight of her nearly took his breath away. Meliodas practically ran to snuff out the light, climbing impatiently into the bed next to her. Before, when they would go to bed, Meliodas would tease her a bit, trying to sneak a squeeze or a pinch, and Elizabeth would blush and laugh at his antics as they settled down. Sometimes she would give him a kiss on the forehead or the cheek, flushing a beautiful color pink, before pulling the blankets over them and sinking against the pillows. There were some nights when it would take Meliodas some time to fall asleep, and he would watch the steady rise and fall of her shoulders, or trace his eyes over her silhouette; but never would he dare to touch her or hold her, even when the longing he felt to do so became a tender sting.

After all, Meliodas had always figured there was plenty of time for all of that.

Now, he knew better. He pulled her against him with his arms tight around her, ignoring the gasp of surprise at his seemingly bold move. Without Hawk there to object, he was free to cradle the princess against him as much as he liked. Meliodas pressed her head down until it was settled on his shoulder, and he heaved her body up until she was nestled between his legs and he could feel every solid inch of her against him. Her whispered question was feathery against his skin, her own hands tentative as they finally came to rest around him.

"I missed you," he said thickly, his voice clouded with threatening emotion.

Elizabeth sighed, the contented sound instantly setting him at ease. "I'm sorry," she murmured. She was apologizing a lot, he realized.

"It's not your fault," he insisted. "I should be the one who is sorry. I should have found you. I tried so hard to find you."

She nodded, and he tightened his arms around her for a moment. "You don't remember anything?" he asked.

"Nothing," she breathed. Elizabeth shifted a bit, and once she was settled against him, she continued, "I remember being at the tavern, and going to bed, and then… I woke up, and I was walking on a road I had never seen before."

"You woke up and were walking?" asked Meliodas with a frown.

"I… I think so?" Elizabeth's voice was small, and shook a bit. She tried to sit up, but Meliodas brought his hand to her head, stroking her hair soothingly. "I'm sorry, I… I don't know what happened to me…"

"It's okay, Elizabeth," he shushed her. Tentatively he brushed his lips on the top of her head, not wanting to push, but needing to comfort her. His hands were steady and firm as they pressed against her back, trying to calm her trembling.


	2. Recovering

**Part Two: Recovering**

The one thing about living for three thousand years was that life was terribly boring at times. For Meliodas, 'at times' was usually _all_ the time. He was often hard pressed to remember how he spent his time before meeting the goddess Elizabeth. Death, destruction, giving orders, delivering justice, he supposed; it all seemed very important then, and very unimportant now. It had amused him sometimes how the longer he lived, the less he wanted any power. He had found that for humans, not to mention the other races, it was usually the opposite.

When one has nothing but time, filling that time becomes a curse. Distractions are precious jewels. Meliodas had gotten to try all kinds of jobs, but the only thing he was ever any good at was killing, so he always ended up being a soldier. It was a good enough living, and provided well; plenty of adventures and treasure to be had for someone like him, with nothing to lose. But being the most powerful creature by miles than anyone else took a lot of the fun out of it.

Outliving everyone made things difficult too. The fairies had retreated into their own realm for the first couple of thousand years. Even later on—when the threats seemed much less threatening, he supposed—only a few would venture out, never far from the forest. The giants dwindled steadily since the war, but Meliodas had always had a tough time hanging with them anyway, being so exceptionally short. All that was left was the humans, but their lives were so fragile, and so quickly over, he rarely felt the need to bother.

He wasn't immune to falling in love, though. Liz had been a wonderful distraction, which is why he clung to her a bit too much, and why he had taken her loss so hard. She was beautiful and funny and smart and adventurous and _good_ , and reminded him so much of the goddess that had been his first love. Being in love was always a good way to spend his days, and loving her had been easy. It was lucky, too, because he had been thinking about bailing on Danafor. He had worked his way all the way up to Great Holy Knight, so unless he was planning on usurping the king—and the thought had crossed his mind, for a minute or three, the guy was an absolute _jerk_ —there was really not much else to do.

The Seven Deadly Sins had been a truly excellent distraction. It had all the fun of being a soldier with none of the real responsibility. Holy Knights in Liones were respected and well-treated, and somehow most of them were also genuinely good people. There was something about the king, too, that was so kind and selfless that he felt proud to serve under him. Meeting the others, and gathering them for the team, was truly the _most_ fun he had had in thousands of years. Plus, all of them were the closest to being as strong as he than anyone else he had met since the end of the war, so he didn't have to worry about himself so much all time.

Then Elizabeth had come along. Calling her a distraction would be an insult; somehow this girl had become his entire life. He had no idea how, either; how a girl who had _literally_ tripped and fell at his feet had become his entire reason for living… it sounded ludicrous, to be honest. As if the three thousand years he spent living and sleeping and fighting and loving had all been leading up to… this?

To find her gone, so suddenly… the sheer panic of it all is what had really thrown him. When was the last time he had felt such absolute terror? Seeing Fraudrin in Danafor had been more anger than anything, mixed with dread over what it could mean for a demon like him to escape. Seeing Liz on the ground with a hole in her chest was painful and devastating and broken his heart. Being chased from Liones by the Holy Knights for killing Zaratras hadn't scared him either, just frustrated more than anything, for the injustice of it all, and having to start over _again_.

But fear had become a semi-regular occurrence with Elizabeth. Anxiety, dread, doubt, worry… they had all become his companions as they travelled around Liones. Meliodas had not experienced any of those in so long—since the war, specifically—that he actually, well, _felt_ them.

So the panic had been the worst of them all. The panic of her missing, and not knowing where she was, who had her, if she was alive or dead, or hurt, or in pain, or afraid, or…

The panic had given birth to more panic, and then he had panicked because of the panic, and it quickly devolved into a spiral that consumed him as he nearly tore through Britannia looking for her. They had spent seven months looking under every rock and inside every building and around every corner. Each time, each place was the same. There had been absolutely no trace of her.

About four months into her disappearance, the others started suggesting that this could be something they never solved. After six months, even the king had told him that although he was not giving up hope, there was simply nowhere left to look. At that time, Meliodas had travelled through Britannia twice, preparing to start it all again. Because there was no way he was going to stop, not when he still had nothing. He had spent three thousand years _existing_ , and now he was _living_ , he was _feeling_ things, and they wanted him to stop looking? They wanted him to rest?

After another two months of looking, another fifty-eight days of searching the entirety of Britannia _again_ , even Meliodas had to finally admit that she was gone. It was then that he had developed his plan. The pain was looming, threatening to overcome him if he allowed himself to feel the full weight of it. The loss of Elizabeth was terrible enough; the _unknowing_ would positively eat him alive.

Therefore, he would escape it by becoming numb.

* * *

Elizabeth's return to the Boar Hat was a strange affair. The Seven Deadly Sins, as a rule, were not generally _excitable_ people. They had their own pasts and heartaches to handle, so most of them kept their hearts locked firmly behind a mask of indifference. In Gowther's case, there was no heart to even keep locked away.

Everyone except Diane, of course. The giantess squealed for a solid six minutes, until Ban told her if she didn't stop making that noise, she'd be the one missing next. Then King yelled at him for that, and Gowther pointed out the issues with their argument, until all of them were squabbling with one another. But Elizabeth laughed and hugged each in turn, even Ban, which ended the quarrels for good.

Meliodas held his breath as they entered the tavern. He had no idea _what_ would happen when she came into the familiar surroundings, and his heart stopped for a second when she hesitated as she walked through the door. But when her face lit up in a smile, a beautiful tint of pink staining her cheeks, he let go a breath he hadn't realized he was even holding. He watched as she gently touched a table, then a stool; she ran her fingers along the bar; she adjusted her apron hanging on its usual hook. "Everything is the same," she whispered, and Meliodas was glad to hear the relief in her voice.

Eventually they went up to the second floor, and Meliodas sat on the window seat to watch her. Elizabeth unpacked some of the things she had brought from the castle, and then began to pick up the items that had gotten scattered around the room in her absence. It was a moment he felt he would never forget: the sheer _contentedness_ of having her there, really there, tidying up his mess and fluffing the pillows. He was a bit embarrassed by the state of the room, but felt an unbelievable happiness to watch her change the bedsheets and gather up the stray mugs.

Once that was done, she turned to him and asked, "How much time until we open?"

Meliodas frowned. "I'm not opening tonight. It's your first night back. You should relax, we should just take some time."

"But I don't need any time," she said. "I feel fine."

"You were missing—"

"It doesn't feel that way to _me_ ," she reminded him with a smile. "I would much rather have something to do, then to just sit around all evening."

He could not help the scoffing laugh that huffed out of him at that. "It feels like that to _me_ , though," he answered. "You've been _gone_. I want some time with you. The others do too. Can't we just… enjoy a bit of time?" Elizabeth dropped her eyes and looked away, so Meliodas continued, "Besides, I have a lot of questions still. I need to know what happened."

"Nothing happened," she responded slowly.

"How can you say that?" he said incredulously. "You've been missing. Someone took you from me, and I need to find out who, and why."

The uncertainty on her face made his stomach turn a bit. "Sir Meliodas, I don't want…" She wrung her hands for a moment before crossing over to stand in front of him. Her face was soft, but full of care, and she reached out and took him by the hand. "I just mean, I wouldn't wish for you to worry so much. I'm not hurt. I'm fine."

Meliodas just shook his head, running his other hand through his messy blonde hair. He looked down at their fingers entwined, feeling a sudden bit of confusion. Elizabeth had never been so forward before, to take his hand like this, even after all the times he had held hers, or grabbed her or pinched her or swept her up in his arms. Shaking his head clear, his eyes traveled up to meet hers. "Let's just have one night, okay?" he asked.

He was rewarded with a brilliant smile, and gratefully he pulled her hand to his lips to plant a kiss on the back of her hand. Meliodas paused for a moment, allowing his mouth to linger there, enjoying the feel of her soft skin against his lips. He took in a deep breath, and she gave a small giggle, reaching with her thumb to stroke his chin.

All at once he tugged her forward, scooping her up and pulling her onto his lap. Elizabeth made a little shriek with the sudden movement, but happily Meliodas settled back, situating her between his legs. "Sir Meliodas?" she asked breathlessly. "What are you doing?"

"Taking some time," he answered. She looked up at him with astonished eyes; but then she smiled again, relaxing easily against him. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her tightly against his chest. Tentatively, her own arm went around his waist, and Meliodas sighed as his head rested against the wall.

It was quiet then, and together they settled back, Meliodas turning his face to look out the window. Somewhere out there was the answer to what had happened; somewhere there was a person who knew where Elizabeth had been all this time. He would take this time, and have this moment with Elizabeth, now that his search for her was done, because tomorrow his search for the truth would begin.

* * *

Gouren was the most logical place to start looking for answers, so that is where they decided to head to first. It was a three day journey on Hawk Mama, and the next morning was busy preparing supplies and securing water and packing what would be needed to travel as quickly as possible. Elizabeth had tried to protest, saying again that there was no reason to be hurrying off, but Meliodas did not listen. It did not matter to him that Elizabeth was willing to wait for answers; he wanted answers _now_.

The night before had been fun: they had enjoyed a huge meal, plenty of food and ale for everyone, and some of their friends in Liones had turned up, making the party even more lively. Then Gilthunder had arrived with the princesses, Veronica uncharacteristically tearful as the girls sat together talking for a long while.

As Meliodas helped clean up the meal, one eye always trained on Elizabeth, Merlin sat at the bar with a glass of her own cordial. "Will we be heading out tomorrow?" she asked him evenly.

"Of course," he answered as he rinsed the glasses. "I won't rest until we know the truth."

"The princess is coming with us?"

"Yes," he replied with a huff.

The mage nodded, remaining silent for several minutes as he continued his work. The plates were scraped and stacked, the glasses cleaned, the pile of scraps made for Hawk, and Meliodas muttered to himself about the lack of help, begrudgingly eyeing the others who were several drinks in and carrying on with the party. Then Merlin continued, "Captain, I was wondering—"

"It would be easier to talk if you would _help_ ," he groused, and with a chuckle Merlin snapped her fingers. The remains of the meal were at once busy cleaning and putting themselves away, and Meliodas breathed a sigh of relief. Wiping his hands on a towel, he leaned against the bar, pausing for a moment to watch the flatware march itself down towards the drawers, and said, "Fine, what are you wondering?"

Her face turned rather serious, leaning in to say quietly, "Do you suspect the princess is hiding anything?"

"Absolutely not," replied Meliodas immediately. "You should have seen her. Elizabeth is as confused as any of us."

"I would like to see for myself, if I can," she said carefully. "An examination would go a long ways to unlocking Elizabeth's memories."

"And what if she has none?" replied the captain defensively. "Whoever it was could have erased all of it. I won't let you just experiment on her for the fun of it. Elizabeth has been through enough."

"I'm just as concerned as you are in figuring out this mystery," Merlin responded a bit defensively.

Meliodas sighed and nodded. "I'm sorry. You're probably right. Just not tonight." His eyes traveled back to where Elizabeth sat with her sisters, all three of them laughing at something Gilthunder was saying. "We'll be in Gouren in a few days. I want to go there with an open mind and see if we find any clues first. Then you can take a look."

"Whatever you think is best," Merlin acceded, and they did not speak of it again.

It was a celebration like none they had had in a long time, not since after defeating Hendrickson, Meliodas supposed. Ban and Howzer kept the jokes and songs going all evening, as everyone drank and ate to their heart's content. There was even dancing, Gil and Margaret giggling together as they stumbled over one another, King blushing as Diane gave instructions, and he even did his own silly romp with Ban, and then Howzer, before finally pulling Elizabeth up and twirling with her until they were both breathless with laughter.

He had kept Elizabeth in his line of sight all evening, feeling the weight that had settled on his chest slowly dissipating every time she smiled or laughed or simply looked content; then, finally, at the end of the night he had stolen her upstairs, where they silently dressed for bed and climbed in together under the covers, once more finding themselves unaccosted by Hawk.

He had checked the lock on the window three separate times, until Elizabeth had teased him a bit; but being back with her in their room, in their bed, proved the most nerve-wracking moment since her return. For hours he had lain awake, the princess curled tightly against him, and stared at the ceiling. It was ludicrous, he knew, to worry, but after he was certain she was asleep he had gotten up one more time to check the window lock. Then Meliodas just laid there, listening to her breathing, feeling foolish as he realized he was afraid to fall asleep.

Meliodas was the first one up in the morning, and enjoyed seeing the sunlight creeping into the window over the sleeping figure next to him. It was such a profound relief to find her there, that the past ten months could almost be a dream. Finally he extracted himself carefully from the bed, checking the window lock again as he got dressed, then went out to rouse the rest to get ready to move. By mid-morning he realized Elizabeth had not emerged yet, so went upstairs to see if she was still sleeping. She had brought some things from the castle, and Meliodas found her putting away the extra clothes as noon was approaching. "We're nearly ready," he announced when he entered their room, frowning a bit when he noticed the way her lips were pressed together tightly. "Will you be ready to leave in an hour?" he asked.

"I suppose," she responded, her tone a bit clipped, and his frown deepened.

"Everything all right?" Meliodas stepped further into the room, walking over to the set of drawers she was organizing. "You look upset about something."

Elizabeth paused in her work but did not look over at him. "We had such a nice time last night… everyone was so wonderful."

"Did you—I guess, did you want to stay?" Meliodas didn't know what he would do if Elizabeth decided she would rather stay with her father. But to his relief, she shook her head.

"No, of course not," she answered. "I suppose I wish we could just… have some time, like you said yesterday."

Meliodas huffed a laugh, teasing, "You were the one eager to open the bar, if I recall." Elizabeth blushed a bit, still not looking at him, and he asked, "Elizabeth, is there a reason why you don't want us to go back there?"

Her face snapped up to his, her eyes widening a bit; then she quickly shook her head. "No, of course not," she murmured.

His eyes narrowed slightly. "Are you sure?" asked Meliodas, his tone serious.

The gaze she returned was steady, and slowly the princess nodded. "I'm not afraid," she murmured.

Nodding Meliodas took a step back, watching her for another moment before heading back downstairs. If Elizabeth was keeping a secret, he would respect her privacy for now. After all, he knew a thing or two about keeping secrets.

* * *

 **A/N:** Thank you to everyone who is reading! Your response was overwhelming to say the least. I hope you continue to enjoy.

As I have some real-life things going on that are going to keep me busy for the next few weeks, I hope you don't mind if I respond to reviews and messages at once.

 **Deadly Sins Writer** **:** Thank you for the review! I hope you enjoy the rest.  
 **BettyBest2:** Meliodas was pretty sad in the first chapter. Unfortunately the hell is not over yet.  
 **nhus321:** Amazing? You're going to make me blush. I hope you're feeling better!  
 **TheGreatLlamaFish:** Well some people say angst is my specialty... I do hope you like roller coasters.  
 **Roxlll:** I'm glad you liked this so much!  
 **RowerLovesAstronomy:** This will continue every Monday, thank you!  
 **Llama:** This is my first mystery, I hope you enjoy it.  
 **DraconisRose960:** All will be revealed in good time...


	3. Searching

**Part Three: Searching**

Nothing about the place looked familiar, which frustrated Meliodas greatly. Add that to his fear, and his anguish, and his anxiety, he was having difficulty keeping a lid on all the _human emotions_. He referred to this awful jumble as _human_ because they seemed to be the only ones who experienced every single one of them, sometimes all at the same time. Demons were usually too stoic to feel the most intense emotions, while fairies were so exuberant they often lacked any true subtlety. And giants typically only felt one emotion at a time. He didn't know much about the goddesses, having really only known one in his life; three thousand years had softened a lot of the memories of her, so he wasn't completely sure anymore.

But humans? They felt it all, often all at once, and living and working among them for so long had exposed Meliodas to this occasionally unpleasant existence.

"Damnit!" he shouted, kicking over a chair. Immediately Meliodas felt foolish, but there was nothing to be done. Thankfully, only Ban was there to witness his little outburst, and he only heaved a sigh that could be boredom or annoyance.

"We're gonna find her, Cap'n~" he intoned, and Meliodas gritted his teeth at his comparatively calm tone. Why wasn't Ban beside himself? Why wasn't the entire planet up in arms over the missing princess? It was only right that every man, woman, and child in Britannia would stop what they were doing and immediately join in the search. The absolute lack of urgency from everyone else was driving him mad.

Without answering Meliodas stormed out of the house. He wanted to tear it down board by board for daring to not hold any clue as to where the princess was, but he was of a sound enough mind not to bother. Baltra had given him an incredibly wide berth as the search for Elizabeth began, but now that months had gone by and they were going through everything _again_ , he knew that the king would not allow him to take whatever liberties he wanted.

As if the king could _allow_ him. As if he could not rip Liones to _shreds_ —

"Yo, Cap'n!" Ban called, slapping him on the back and effectively smacking him out of that spiral. "She's not here, so let's keep going. Maybe someone else saw something."

"Yeah," he seethed, focusing on holding back his unraveling emotions. Meliodas stalked forward, back towards the town of Gouren. Besides, he wanted a word with the fruit seller who had told him he had seen a silver-haired girl a few weeks ago heading towards the abandoned farmhouse. He needed more detail, and was considering having Gowther look in his memory to find out what he knew. But if the fruit seller was _lying_ , Meliodas would—

"Have you thought about the _why_ yet, Cap'n?" Ban asked, almost cheerfully. Meliodas grumbled to himself at his thoughts being interrupted again, but turned and looked up at his friend. He walked next to him, one hand scratching the back of his head, his eyes drooping as he kept them steadily and purposefully forward.

"What _why_?" Meliodas finally asked when he realized there was no more to his statement.

Ban shrugged. "Just why she's gone. If we knew why the princess left, then maybe—"

"She didn't _leave_ ," Meliodas hissed at him. "She was taken."

Ban nodded. They walked together another minute in silence before he said, "Fine, say she really was taken—"

Meliodas stopped and glared at him coldly. "Elizabeth _was_ taken. She would _never_ just leave like this."

"Yeah, I know, I just—"

"She's been gone for four months, Ban!"

"I _know_ —"

"If something hadn't happened to her, don't you think we'd hear something by now? Don't you think her own father would have heard?" He was practically seething now, his fists clenched to his sides, trembling with anger as he registered the casually raised eyebrow on Ban's face.

There was a tense moment that finally diffused when Ban said, "It's still worth thinking about why. If we knew why then we'd be able to figure out who. And if we figure out who, then we'll figure out where."

"You're talking nonsense," Meliodas huffed. He turned and continued walking, but truthfully, what Ban was saying made a _lot_ of sense. Maybe he had been going about this all wrong. Four months of searching had turned up no sign of the princess. Should they stop their focus on looking for her, and instead start searching for who was behind this?

 _If we knew_ why _the princess left_ …

This had haunted Meliodas since he had woken up to find her gone. The thought had occurred to him after the first few hours, when it started getting dark and Elizabeth wasn't back yet from whatever errand she had found so important. Because it had to be an errand, right? Why else would she have been missing from the bed when he opened his eyes to the sun streaming in the window? The window he had left open. The window he had left open because _she_ had told him to do so.

Meliodas shook his head. These thoughts were dangerous, and getting more dangerous every second she wasn't found. The panic and pain were so wrenching those first few nights, Meliodas had thought he would actually die from it. But it had given him fuel, so he searched for days without food or rest, moving and fighting and looking everywhere. It had given him hope. It had given him something to do, besides _feel_. What he hadn't realized then—because the hope of finding her was so strong, the utter belief that he would bring this nightmare to an end—was that the pain would not kill him. In the end, it would be the emptiness that was his demise, all that would be left when the hope had finally seeped out of him, drained slowly with the hours that slipped by without her.

So Meliodas clung to the panic and the fear, held tightly to his anger and his terror, because without them would come acceptance—and _that_ was something he could not do.

Elizabeth hadn't left. _She had not left_. She was taken, and if she was taken there was a place where she was and a person there to blame and the reason wouldn't even matter in the end.

Ban was talking as they walked, and Meliodas tuned back in. "~You hear it all the time, really, about girls going missing. Girls running away. Maybe we should look to see if she took anyone with her, or if she had met anyone—"

This time, Meliodas did not hold back his rage. The punch he landed on Ban nearly tore him in two, and as he pulled his fist back it was painted red. Ban went flying, his broken body bouncing as it skimmed across the ground. He watched, breathing in deeply and slowly, wrestling with himself to keep from going over there and seeing exactly how immortal Ban really was.

"Did that help?"

Meliodas' shoulders stiffened at the voice behind him. He didn't bother turning around, not interested in seeing Merlin's mysterious smile. Already embarrassed by his outburst, he instead barked, "Did you find anything?"

She walked around to stand beside him, her gaze steady on where Ban was slowly sitting up. "Unfortunately, no."

He nodded, noticing Merlin sneaking a glance at him from the side of her eye. "What is it?" he snapped.

Merlin turned to face him, her arms crossed and her chin raised. "Have you considered the possibility that this has nothing to do with the princess at all? That this whole thing has been _you_?"

"Of course I've considered that," he growled. "No one would want to harm Elizabeth. Not unless they were trying to get to me." Saying this out loud was less painful than he had thought it would be, and he swallowed, trying to keep his voice steady. "Whoever this is knows what I would do, and that's why we can't find her. They know how to avoid me."

Merlin did not respond, but her eyes drifted up and down him in a way that made his skin burn with agitation. "What?" he bit out harshly, finally looking over at her.

"Whoever took the princess has a goal in mind, certainly. And they are succeeding."

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked, as Ban finally stood and walked over. He looked furious, but Meliodas could tell he was not going to retaliate, so he turned his attention back to the mage. "How do you know they are succeeding?"

"Because this is all you do," she remarked. "You've spent months looking for Elizabeth to the exclusion of everything else."

"And do you expect me _not_ to?" Meliodas practically shouted.

"Of course I don't," replied Merlin evenly. "No one would."

The words hung heavy as another layer of anxiety settled over his already troubled mind. "That's what I was trying to say too, you know~" Ban said tightly.

He whirled his face to look at him. "You did not. You were saying Elizabeth ran away. That she left on her own."

The brief exchange of looks between the two Sins was not lost on Meliodas, but he did not want to argue any more. He couldn't listen to their suggestions and the underlying innuendos that somehow, this was Elizabeth's doing. This was doing nothing but waste time, and that was the only thing he he had to give to this search anymore. So he turned and walked away from them both, heading back to the village of Gouren to find that person who had told them about the silver-haired girl.

* * *

Meliodas woke up with a start, gasping for air. It was bright in his bedroom, too bright, meaning it was well on its way to lunchtime. He couldn't remember what the dream he was having was about, but it had terrified him to the point that he could feel himself still trembling, his skin covered in beaded sweat.

His hand went out immediately to feel for Elizabeth, and when he did not find her there, his heart seized. His mind told him to wait, to stop and think and breathe because chances were she was just downstairs, that it was _well_ after morning, but he could not help himself as he bolted out of bed and ran towards the window. It was locked, and his hands shook as they slid over the knob, turning it open and closed just to be sure.

Now that that was settled, Meliodas hurried out of the room, not even bothering to put on his boots. His feet padded on the ground, making a strange sound; a quick glance down showed that he was wearing only one sock. Quickly he flew down the steps, jumping down the last two and rushing into the main room.

To his relief, she was there, sitting at a table, eating with Diane. His breath came out in a great gust from his lungs, and the sound caught her attention. "Sir Meliodas!" Elizabeth called, her eyes widening even as she giggled. "Did you… forget something?"

He knew he looked completely disheveled, still in his bedclothes, but the sight of her was worth his ridiculous state. "Elizabeth," he breathed, the weight on his chest instantly gone, and he crossed over to the table and shamelessly kissed the top of her head. The princess gave a little squeak of surprise, her face flushing a brilliant pink.

Sinking into the stool next to her, Meliodas breathed another sigh of relief. "Are you okay, Captain?" Diane asked curiously.

"Yeah, I— I woke up and Elizabeth wasn't there." He smiled sheepishly at her through his bangs. "Still getting used to this."

"It's okay," Elizabeth whispered shyly, making him grin. There was an incredible rumbling as the tavern began to shake, and Meliodas realized as they began to sink that Hawk Mama was digging into the ground. "Where are we?" he asked the girls, looking around confused. "Why did we stop?"

"Because we're here!" Diane exclaimed. "You've been asleep for hours and hours."

"We're here? In Gouren?" Meliodas shook his head, rubbing his hand through his hair. "I must have really been out."

Elizabeth smiled sweetly. "We thought it was best to let you sleep. The others said… you hadn't been getting much rest."

Meliodas nodded, still looking around. The digging came to a stop, and the tavern seemed to sigh as it settled. "I suppose we better get going. I'll go change and then we'll head out." He gave Elizabeth a piercing look. "Are you ready for this?"

The princess nodded. Meliodas gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile, and headed upstairs to get dressed. When he returned downstairs, the other Sins were there, and the group headed out. The tavern was situated less than a mile from the town, and Meliodas instructed them to split up. "I'm taking Elizabeth to where she was found," he told the others. "Gowther, I want you to stay with me, in case the princess needs some help with her memories. The rest of you, see if you see anything unusual."

"Unusual how?" Diane asked, her face twisting into a frown.

"We've looked here before and never found anything," King interjected.

"I don't know," answered the captain. "Just… try not to _look_ like you're looking. If the person behind this is here, we don't want them to know we're looking."

"Yeah, we sure do blend in easy~" Ban yawned, earning a scowl from Meliodas.

"Looking never did us any good before," added Merlin.

Meliodas sighed. "Exactly. So… don't look."

With those rather muddled instructions, the rest headed out in different directions. Meliodas took Elizabeth's hand and they headed down the road, Gowther following silently behind. "The king gave me a description of where you were found," he explained to the girl gently. "We'll head in that direction, but if you see something that… well, that's _anything_ , just let us know."

Elizabeth nodded, her lips tight together. The three did not speak as they walked, and Meliodas felt a growing agitation as they continued, as if they were in danger. He could not pinpoint exactly what was wrong, but something was off. There was a scratching under his skin, not quite a warning, but _something_.

He looked up at the princess, trying to catch her eye, but Elizabeth was turned away, looking out at the ground that stretched out on either side. There was farmland nearby, so the trees were not thick at all, just gently rolling grass spotted with wildflowers. Meliodas swallowed nervously, pushing his senses outwards to detect what was amiss. But there was nothing there, no people or even animals, no threats of any kind.

When the silence became too much, Meliodas said over his shoulder, "Gowther? Do you see anything?"

"I wasn't looking, per your instructions, captain," he replied.

Meliodas snorted, turning around in annoyance. Quiet settled over them once more, and he found himself straining to hear the occasional cricket or bumblebee or bird call. Eventually, his mind traveled back to Elizabeth, and he squeezed his hand in hers, grateful to feel the warmth of her skin and the pressure of her fingers as they curled between his. It was these little things he would make sure to pay attention to, he decided; the way she walked and smiled and laughed, the sound of her footsteps and the color of her lips, the curve of her shoulders and the smoothness of her skin and sweet way she said his name.

He was lost in his thoughts, memorizing the exact way her hand felt, when Elizabeth abruptly stopped. "This is it!" she said excitedly. "I remember this."

Meliodas blinked and looked around. "Are you sure?" he asked. Damn, he hadn't been paying attention, and wasn't sure exactly how far down the road they were. Elizabeth released his hand so she could tentatively step away, and he quickly looked behind them. The tavern was no longer in sight.

"This is where I was, I'm sure of it." Elizabeth walked backwards, looking around excitedly. "I remember thinking how green the grass was, as if I had not seen grass in such a long time. Of course, it was winter when I left, wasn't it?"

"Yes, that's correct," answered Meliodas. He swallowed thickly, unexpectedly feeling a bit flustered, as if talking about her disappearance was scandalous. "There wasn't much green around then."

The princess stopped, closing her eyes to inhale deeply. "It's so fresh and clean out here, don't you think?"

Meliodas shook his head, ignoring the strange remark. "Elizabeth, what do you remember? You were in bed in the Boar Hat, so what's the first thing you remember after that?"

"Just this." Her eyes were still closed, a delighted smile on her face, as though a bit of music or a delicious scent had just gone by. She breathed in deeply again. "I thought I was having a dream, because I was here, but it was winter. The smell of the grass was so strong."

He watched her in silence, standing next to Gowther. "I just walked along," she continued. "I saw a bird fly by, and it made me so happy. I could feel the warm breeze." Elizabeth looked at Meliodas suddenly, her cheeks stained pink. "I'm sorry, this… it isn't very useful, is it?"

"No, Elizabeth, it's fine," he said reassuringly. To prove it, he put on a wide grin and put his hands behind his head. "Keep going, this is all important."

She nodded, still looking around. Finally the princess said, "I don't know, there's not much else. I remember this, though. I walked here until someone came by with a wagon and offered me a lift to town. When I got there, someone recognized me, and I realized this wasn't a dream after all." Her hands fidgeted nervously as she blinked over at Meliodas. "I wish I knew something more."

"You're doing really well," Meliodas assured her again. "Really."

Elizabeth nodded, then continued walking a bit, looking around and contemplating her surroundings. "The princess is telling the truth, in case you were wondering," Gowther said next to him. The unexpected voice made him jump, and Meliodas lowered his arms, looking up at the Goat Sin. "She really believed it was a dream. She still suspects it may be, in fact."

Meliodas' eyes widened in surprise, then he quickly snapped his gaze back to Elizabeth. She was crouched in the grass, pulling up wildflowers, cradling the bunch in her arms.

* * *

 **A/N:** The mystery is building, I wonder if anyone has any guesses as to what is going on yet? :D

Thank you again for reading and for the wonderful response!

 **BettyBest2:** There are certainly secrets abounding, but whether Elizabeth is hiding one or not remains to be seen. Poor Meliodas is suffering from a bit of paranoia, but can we blame him?  
 **RowerLovesAstronomy:** Maybe...  
 **nhus321:** I see you are rather protective of Meliodas, even to the point of giving Elizabeth a warning!  
 **Llama:** Meliodas is indeed terrified of Elizabeth disappearing again. Memories are tricky things, aren't they? And a steady theme in NNT as well.


	4. Failing

**Part Four: Failing**

"Elizabeth!" Meliodas called, weaving his way through the crowds of people. "Elizabeth? Are you here?"

"I can't see her _anywhere_ through all these _people_!" Hawk squealed at his feet. He stomped his hooves and shouted, " _Everybody out of the way_!"

The people closest to them turned to look at the high pitched noise coming from the ground, and Meliodas grinned as he kicked the pig behind him. "No need to make a scene," he muttered through gritted teeth, giving his rump a poke with his foot for good measure.

"I'm just so worried!" Hawk moaned. "What if we never find her? What if she's been taken by evil fairies, or evil Holy Knights, or evil tree people?"

"Evil tree people?" laughed Meliodas. That was a new one.

"Yes! They live in the tallest trees, making their homes at the very top. They snatch up children to feast on their bones, and use the skins to make suits so they can blend in with regular humans."

Meliodas grimaced. "That's… rather descriptive," he answered, continuing forward again. "Where did you come up with such a wild story?"

"It's not a story!" Hawk shouted. "Ban told me—"

"Ha! There's your problem." They walked down a small street, cutting through to the next main thoroughfare. It was a beautiful winter morning, and even though it was cold enough to see breath, the sun was shining brilliantly and the air was calm. It seemed like everyone had turned outside to enjoy the respite from the blustery days they had had lately. The shops were open, people hurrying to and from the stalls and in and out of the stores, children running around as their parents stopped to talk, making it a fun morning in the capital. It would be even _more_ fun if Meliodas could just find Elizabeth already.

Hawk was still going on about the possibility of evil tree people when Meliodas halted. "We're back to where we started," he sighed. "Let's go back to the Boar Hat. Maybe she's turned up."

There was a growing unease when they returned, however, and Elizabeth wasn't there. It was so unlike her to just _go_. Even if she hadn't wanted to wake him, which was a very Elizabeth thing to do, she would have left a note, or word with one of the others, _something_. But it was silly to worry. Liones was safe, they were staying in the capital for the winter months, and she was the princess, after all. Her face was one of the most recognizable ones in the entire kingdom. Everyone knew about the silver-haired princess who had saved the Holy Knights from the demons.

He drummed his fingers on the bar as he waited, watching the hands on the clock tick by. Did she go shopping? Was she with anyone? Meliodas had asked Diane to check at the castle, and she and King had headed out just as he left to look around with Hawk. Surely, if she wasn't out in the throng milling around the city today, she was at the palace. Elizabeth was having breakfast with her father, or meeting with her sisters. She probably had told him about it and just forgot.

Of course, Meliodas rarely forgot anything.

The bell chimed over the door as King stepped inside. He raised his eyebrows expectantly and King said, "Nope, no one has seen her there. We even walked around a bit but no luck."

Meliodas frowned. Elizabeth wasn't in the city, and wasn't at the castle. Would she have wandered into the woods nearby, on her own?

"Don't worry, Captain!" Diane called through the window. "Elizabeth will turn up!"

He nodded, looking back at the clock. And he stayed staring at the clock for another five hours, until the sun was beginning to set, and his nerves were completely on fire because she hadn't turned up at all.

* * *

Meliodas stared at the ceiling, flexing the hand pressed against Elizabeth's back. His stomach had been in knots all evening, ever since Gowther had told him Elizabeth's suspicions. Then to make matters worse, none of the others had found a thing in their own searches. Just plain, ordinary fields filled with ordinary trees and grass and the occasional animal.

After walking around for a while, Meliodas had headed into town to find the man that had found Elizabeth. He was an older gentleman with kind eyes and the same story as Elizabeth: he had driven by, saw a dazed looking girl on the side of the road, and offered her a lift to town. When she told him her name and that she didn't know exactly _how_ she had come to be on the side of the road, the man had become suspicious that she was the missing princess. Meliodas thanked him profusely for his good thinking, assuring him that if he ever needed anything, to just come by the Boar Hat and see him personally. The incredibly intense way the Dragon Sin said this, as he leaned over his cooling cup of tea, tilting his chin down as he spoke, was something the man never forgot; in fact, the story of the princess and the young man with a voice like a storm rolling in was something that was passed down in the man's family for many, many generations.

Elizabeth slept on her side, facing away from him, but Meliodas kept a hand on her back, grounding himself. After the panic he experienced that morning, he found his own sleep difficult. Every time he closed his eyes, he pictured her gone again, the bed next to him empty. He was grateful that Hawk had not insisted on the ropes since Elizabeth's return; being able to hold her and touch her kept the threatening emotion from overwhelming him.

Come to think of it, Hawk had been unusually quiet all evening. Meliodas frowned. When was the last time he spoke to Hawk? He tried to remember the pig's report from his search, and could not. Did he not come back to the tavern?

He hopped out of bed and pulled on his boots, his eyes never leaving Elizabeth's sleeping form. Meliodas was reluctant to leave her, but it would drive him nuts not knowing where the porker was. It would only take a minute, and with his senses in high alert, he would know if something was amiss up here. Before he left, however, he checked that the window was still locked.

Meliodas quietly hurried down the steps. It was the middle of the night, and the tavern was hushed as everyone slept. At least, that's what he thought, until he found Merlin and King awake and speaking together in the tavern's main room.

"What's all this?" he yawned, walking over behind the bar. Merlin sat perched on a stool spinning Aldan in her hand, King hovering nearby on Chastiefol, his hands behind his head.

"Just discussing the day's events," said Merlin.

Her expression gave away nothing, and Meliodas looked curiously at them both as he filled a glass with water. He took a sip and glanced over at the yawning King. "Couldn't you sleep?" he asked with a bit of a laugh.

"Not particularly," King answered. He sighed and settled back, causing Meliodas to frown a bit in confusion. "This whole situation is pretty strange if you ask me."

"Strange." Meliodas snorted. "I guess you could say that." He finished off the water and placed the glass down. "Have either of you seen Hawk? I don't remember seeing him when we got back earlier."

"He's sleeping in the back," Merlin replied, her eyes darting briefly to Aldan.

"So where are we heading tomorrow?" asked King.

Meliodas shrugged. "This place was a bust. I thought for sure we'd find something." He leaned over the counter and propped his chin in his hand. "I don't know where else we can go. In fact, I think—Merlin, tomorrow, I want Gowther to take a look at her memories. There's gotta be something there."

The mage did not answer, still looking inside the Orb. "Did you hear me?" he said after a moment in irritation.

Merlin's eyes looked up to meet his. "I understand," she said.

King cleared his throat. "Are you sure… I mean, you're completely sure about this, Captain?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" Meliodas asked, the irritation tapping at the back of his neck.

"Only that—well, we—" King looked over at Merlin, and then back to the captain. "It's just, you don't know what you'll find if you start looking."

Meliodas huffed. "Obviously. What is your point?"

"Well, what if the reason she was gone is… something we haven't considered yet?"

"Just make your point," Meliodas growled.

"What King is trying to say," said Merlin smoothly, "is that you must be prepared that there is not a malicious reason for the princess' absence. There may not be a culprit to find after all."

Meliodas slammed his hand down on the wood counter, startling them both. "What are you talking about? Are you saying Elizabeth did this on purpose? That she planned this, that she's been lying—"

"No! No, nothing like that!" King exclaimed, his palms up to calm him down. "You just seemed so determined to find someone or something to blame! And it might not be that at all. Maybe nothing was done to her. Maybe she just… was lost."

"For ten months?" Meliodas grit his teeth in anger. "Why am I the only one who thinks that that is a _bad_ thing? Elizabeth didn't just get lost. We would have found her if she was _lost_. Something or someone did this. They kept her from me."

The accusation hung heavy in the room, and it was infuriating to watch King and Merlin to exchange a brief glance. "Something happened to her," Meliodas growled.

To his surprise, Merlin nodded. "You're right," she said soothingly. "Something did happen to her. We will find out what it is." It wasn't the reassurance he had been hoping for, but at least she wasn't trying to convince him that he was wrong. "But," Merlin continues, and Meliodas draws in a deep breath to keep himself from lashing out, "you must promise that you will consider all options. Whatever is at work here, we will find it. But King is right—there may just be something we haven't thought of, something simple."

Meliodas opened his mouth to give a retort, but at that moment a scream tore through the Boar Hat. He was moving in an instant, the other two hot on his heels, and even though it took only seconds to get up the stairs and into his room, it felt like an eternity to Meliodas. With each step his heart seized, as he wondered what was wrong what was happening was she hurt was she _gone_ —

The door crashed open as he barrelled inside. To his immediate relief, Elizabeth was there. She was twisted in the covers, her arms out and reaching, her head shaking back and forth as she cried. "No! _NO_!" she screamed.

Meliodas ran around the side of the bed, scooping her up in his arms. Her body was shaking, her eyes fluttering open and shut, her skin covered in perspiration. "Elizabeth!" he called, smoothing her hair back. "Wake up, wake up!"

"It's there! It's there, right outside!" she shrieked. Her arms were still extended, reaching for something around him, and Meliodas' head whipped around. His eyes narrowed as he scanned through the window. Without need of a word, King and Merlin were moving, the mage disappearing with a snap as the fairy pushed the window open, leaning out.

Elizabeth was struggling in his arms, trying to climb around him, so Meliodas returned his attention back to her. "Shhh, shhh, it's all right, Elizabeth, it's all right!" Another sobbing wail came from the princess, and she twisted her body so hard she nearly fell out of the bed.

Deciding to give her space, he laid her back down on the bed, pulling the covers away and rubbing his hands on her arms. "Elizabeth, wake up. Please," he said firmly.

Her chest heaved with shuddering breaths as she looked at him. "S-s-sir Meliodas," she stuttered, "it was th-there— I-I know it w-was—"

"What?" he hissed. His hand went to her forehead, finding it a bit feverish, and frowned. "What did you see?"

Elizabeth's eyes widened, although he noted they were clear. "I don't know," she gasped. Suddenly she bolted upright in bed, looking in horror at the window. He looked over his shoulder too, following her gaze, and King leaned back in, turning back towards them. The Sin shook his head slightly, and Meliodas pressed his lips together before looking back at the princess. "There's nothing there, Elizabeth," he said, trying to sound reassuring even though his voice was high and tight with nerves. "It was just a nightmare."

"No," she whispered, her face crumpling a bit as the realization hit her. "No, I— I saw—something." The clarity in her eyes and the earnestness in her tone made his stomach flip. Her lip trembled a bit, in fear and embarrassment. "I _know_ something was there."

"I know. It's okay." He pulled her into an embrace, breathing slowly and deeply to keep himself from shaking. Elizabeth pressed her face against his shoulder and whimpered. "I _know_ I saw something."

He shushed her again, and for a long while he stroked her back, murmuring quiet reassurances against her hair. Eventually, Elizabeth's muscles relaxed, and when he felt her begin to drift back to sleep, he carefully laid her back on the pillows. For several more minutes he simply sat and watched her, her mouth opened slightly as she breathed, her brow thankfully smooth across her calm face.

But Meliodas could still hear her screams echoing in her head. He could still see the fear in her eyes. Her eyes that were clear of sleep. Eyes clear and bright as she reached _towards_ whatever was at the window.

Without turning he said, "Was the window locked?"

"Huh?" King answered. He had stood the entire time at the window, looking out into the night, the Sacred Spear hanging ready in mid-air beside him.

"When you opened the window," Meliodas murmured, pulling the covers up to carefully tuck them around Elizabeth, "was it still locked?"

"I… think so," King answered quietly. "Yes, I pulled the lock open." There was a pause and then he said, "I think I did."

Meliodas nodded. "Get the others up, and find Merlin. We are heading out at first light."

* * *

There had been something there, he was sure of it.

Elizabeth didn't have nightmares. She didn't scare easily and she never panicked like that. The next morning, she was still insisting something had been at the window, even though she couldn't describe _what_ exactly it was. But Meliodas believed her, despite Merlin informing him that a scan of the area immediately afterwards showed that nothing had been there at all.

The princess was sleeping again when he gave his orders. "We'll go in pairs," he said. "Diane and Merlin, you stay here with Elizabeth. Gowther and King, you'll go west, while Ban and I head east. In one hour we will switch."

They nodded, looking uneasily at one another, and Meliodas barked out, "What now?"

"Do we know what we're looking for?" Gowther asked, his face the only one not in a grimace of concern. "The report from last night seems a bit vague."

"Anything," the captain answered. "It could be anything that gives us a clue."

"But we looked yesterday," King noted carefully. "And we didn't come up with anything."

He knew that they were concerned too, but their skepticism grated on his nerves. If Meliodas was honest with himself, he suspected that it had been a nightmare, too; but the timing was too strange, and the idea that there could be a lead, a foe out there to find and punish, an enemy that had dared to come back and try again, was too tempting of a prospect to let go. "I don't care," he answered slowly. "We're going to look again. And again tomorrow, and the next, until we find whatever it was."

"Okay, Captain," Diane said, giving the others a warning look. She had shrunk again, and now stood with the others gathered in the room. Meliodas nodded, about to send them off, when Merlin asked, "What about the princess? Will we still check her memories today?"

Meliodas hesitated. "Let's hold off on that," he said finally. "Elizabeth had a bad scare, and she's resting now. I don't want to upset her any more than necessary."

He looked over to where she was fast asleep on the bed. Meliodas stood at the foot, his arms folded. "I don't want her to be left alone, understood? One of you in here at all times."

"Understood, captain," Merlin answered, and Diane nodded.

The rest headed out. Ban and Meliodas moved quickly through the trees, and he felt his demon energy rubbing at him to be let loose. But that was something easily opened and difficult to close, so he ignored his instincts and focused on the search. For nearly an hour they moved silently, checking everywhere, until they were miles away and nearly at the next town.

"Should we getting back?" Ban finally asked, and the very agitated Meliodas agreed.

He and King went out together next, going south as Merlin and Ban headed north. Still nothing was found, so he remained at the Boar Hat, watching Elizabeth silently for the entire next hour as the rest of the Sins continued the search. Then he was out again, looking everywhere, the group switching every hour in their hunt and their vigil over Elizabeth, spanning in a circle to cover every square inch of land for miles around.

The next time he returned, Elizabeth was awake. He breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at her, but she shook her head in confusion. "Why are you doing all this?" she asked him quietly.

Diane discreetly excused herself from the room as Meliodas frowned. "I want to find whatever was here last night. You said—"

"It was a nightmare!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "There was nothing there."

Meliodas staggered back, his mouth hanging open. "But you said—"

"I was wrong," she whispered. "And now you are all putting your lives in danger, risking everything to—"

"Elizabeth!" His voice was harsher than he intended, but there was a twisting pain in his chest as he looked on her worried face. "You saw something last night. I know you are scared, but I'm going to protect you!"

She approached him slowly, then brushed her fingers on his cheek. "I'm not scared," she said slowly. "I think—I think you are the one who is scared."

"Of course I am!" Meliodas grabbed her hand away from his face and held it tightly. "Whoever did this to you is still out there. They could come back any time and take you away again." He looked down at her hand in his, covering it with the other. "I can't let that happen."

"This isn't living," answered Elizabeth. "We went through so much together. We fought the Holy Knights and survived. We almost lost each other, but you came back to me, just like I came back to you. I don't want to live in fear anymore."

Meliodas searched her face, unbelieving. "I'm doing this so we don't have to."

Sadly, Elizabeth looked away. "I won't be a part of this. You wasted nearly a year of your life looking for me. I won't sit by and watch you waste any more time."

" _Waste_ —?!"

"Take me back to the castle, please. I want to go home."

She pulled her hand away from his, crossing to the closet and opening it. Meliodas watched in disbelief as she began to pull out clothes, folding things neatly before setting them on the bed.

How can she be so _calm_? Why was everyone always so _damn calm_?!

"It's nearly dark," he snapped. "I'll take you back tomorrow." Elizabeth nodded, and he turned and left without a good-bye.

Taking the stairs quickly, he found Diane at the bottom of the steps, waiting with Ban. "Don't let her out of your sight," he instructed the giantess.

"Wait, I thought I was~" Ban began, but Meliodas interrupted, "You're coming with me. We're going hunting."

He slammed out the front door, the Fox Sin catching up with him a few moments later as he stalked away from the tavern. "Hey Cap'n, do you wanna~"

"No," Meliodas answered firmly. "Our job is to find this thing. Tonight. End of story."

Ban gave a whoop and the two took off running. Each time they had gone out searching, it was meticulous, thorough, as Meliodas carefully searched their surroundings for any clues of any dark creatures lurking. Now he acted on instinct only, and as the dark mark blazed across his forehead, he finally felt as though he was _doing_ something. The added strength and the sharpened senses flared outwards, and the two Sins descended through the area without a care for their surroundings.

Trees were felled, craters left in the side of the earth, even one road was torn up by their work—if it could even be called that. Meliodas was searching, certainly; but his search was assisted by destroying whatever was in his way.

At one point, they came upon an abandoned farmhouse, and Meliodas stopped in his tracks. The familiarity of this place, that had last time yielded no answers, flooded through him, followed immediately by an all-consuming _rage_. He stormed inside, resolved to find something this time, bent on tearing the place apart if he needed.

It was, of course, just as empty as before. The pent up frustrations from the fruitless search, the fear from Elizabeth's screams and the hurt from her decision to leave and the pain of knowing she could be snatched away at any moment and he could do _nothing_ were all released at once. Within minutes the farmhouse was a mess of splinters and rock, the walls and floors and ceiling broken and riddled with holes.

When his hands were bruised, the skin on his knuckles shredded, Meliodas finally walked a bit away, sitting heavily on the ground to catch his breath. Half a minute later, Ban was stretched out beside him on the ground, his hands behind his head and his long legs crossed. "As much as I enjoy some good old-fashioned property damage," Ban said, "this doesn't seem to be doing as much good as we had hoped."

"She's going back to the castle," Meliodas choked. "She doesn't even want me to look anymore. But how can I stop?"

"You can't," said Ban simply. "So you don't."

Meliodas laughed, looking down at the bloody hands in his lap, watching as his skin healed, tentatively stretching the aching joints in his fingers. "Yeah," he answered. He didn't care what Elizabeth or Merlin or Baltra or anyone else said. He was going to discover the truth.

* * *

 **A/N:** A lot of people seemed to think Elizabeth was acting suspiciously last chapter... do you still find her as suspicious now? Thank you so much to everyone sending feedback. This is my first mystery and hearing what is working and what is not is so very helpful!

 **BettyBest2:** I love all of your theories! Meliodas will definitely need some comfort now...  
 **TheGreatLlamaFish:** Thank you so much! Reality and memories are a recurring theme in NNT, and perception is definitely a wild card in this story. Everyone sees the situation differently, so what is truth really?  
 **princess angel11:** I'm so humbled you made an account just for this! That made my day. There are plenty of twists left to go!  
 **Guest:** Thank you so much! You have two great theories going on there.


	5. Seething

**Part Five: Seething**

The large table in the strategy room was covered in maps, which were in turn covered in markings, tracing routes through Britannia and crossing out the names of towns and locations. Despite the crowd of Holy Knights in the room, the atmosphere was quiet, and no one seemed to speak above a whisper. All eyes were trained on the Dragon Sin of Wrath, who stood at the head of the table, his hands pressed hard on the wood and his head bowed.

They waited for him to say something, even the king, who sat in an ornate chair at the other end. Those who were closest to him could probably tell from the way his arms trembled and the way his shoulders tensed that his patience had come to an end. But who was closest to him than the one they were looking for?

Finally the king spoke. "It's been nearly six months—"

"It's been one hundred ninety-four days," Meliodas said evenly.

Baltra pressed his lips together. "Regardless. Every corner of this kingdom and all the others in Britannia have been searched, more than once. Every town, every village, every forest and farm and home has been checked. There is nowhere left to look."

"There must be somewhere," replied Meliodas. His voice was hoarse, his head remained down, not meeting the king's or anyone's eyes. "Elizabeth must be _somewhere_."

"We've done all we can," said Arthur, who stood near the king's side. "There isn't anything else—"

"Elizabeth is _missing_ and you are all talking about _not_ looking for her?" he nearly shouted.

"Captain," Merlin said, "we have looked for her. We continue to look for her, even now."

Finally he lifted his face and surveyed the room. "Then what are you saying?"

"I'm saying this is enough," Baltra answered. The two looked at one another, their gazes meeting in a fierce competition of wills. "This kingdom has been in agony with the princess gone, and this search has gone on long enough. It is disrupting homes and businesses, disrupting their lives. We need to let the people mourn and then move on."

"Mourn. You want the people to mourn." It was a statement, not a question, and the rest shifted nervously at his even tone. "How can you mourn someone who isn't dead?"

"Sir!" Princess Margaret stood abruptly, her voice tight. "You cannot speak to my father this way!" Someone tried to interject, but Margaret continued, "No! We all love Elizabeth. We all want her back."

The corner of Meliodas' mouth raised a bit, but the smile was void of any humor or warmth. "You want her back, and yet you tell me to mourn her."

Margaret's voice was shaking as she said, "How dare you. I've known her for her whole life. I love her."

Meliodas laughed then, shaking his head. He folded his arms as he thought of how Margaret claimed to love Elizabeth. As if she could know what love truly was. As if _any_ of them could.

His eyes moved to the maps on the table. Each town they had visited and searched was marked with notes, and even Meliodas had to admit there was not a single area of Britannia that was not covered. Even the wild lands in the mountains, the deep parts of the Forest of the Fairy King, the coast lines and the land of the druids, even the smoking remains of Danafor and Edinburgh had all been turned over to find Elizabeth. Still not a trace of her was found, not a scrap of information that led anywhere. She was a princess with the power to heal, a magical eye and silver hair; she should have been easy to find. It was if she had been erased from the earth.

But she was not erased. She was _not_ dead. Meliodas _knew_ this. He was not going to stop looking for her, no matter what the others thought or said. No matter what his king or _any_ king commanded. He reached out and snatched up one of the maps, rolling it hastily and shoving it under his arm. Then he looked back at Baltra and said, "I'm going to find Elizabeth. I am going to bring her back."

Baltra seemed to wince with the captain's words, but then the king nodded. "Fine. Do what you must. But you'll receive no more assistance from me, or from the Holy Knights in my kingdom."

"She's your daughter," Meliodas said harshly.

"Yes, she is," replied Baltra. "Which is why it breaks my heart to say goodbye to her."

With nothing more to say, Meliodas stormed out of the room as it erupted into talk behind him. He didn't care what the king or the princess or Arthur or even the damned Sins wanted. He wanted Elizabeth, and he would find her on his own if that's what it took. It's not as if he had never done anything on his own before.

* * *

Meliodas watched with a mix of emotion as Elizabeth excitedly hurried towards her sisters. The three girls squealed and hugged one another, their reunion a lively one, even as he was feeling miserable. It was hard to happy for them when gaining their sister back meant he was losing the person he loved. Elizabeth did not look back at him once as she chatted with Margaret or giggled at Veronica, and eventually the trio turned and walked into the castle together.

His shoulders felt heavy as he watched them go. He and Ban had stayed out searching all night, but of course they found nothing. When Meliodas returned at daybreak, Elizabeth was waiting up for him. After a quick wash and change of clothes, and an even quicker breakfast, he had Merlin use _Teleportation_ to bring them back to the capital city. Elizabeth had barely spoken to him when he returned, not to comment on his bruises, not even to continue their argument. Her silence had stung a great deal, and he missed her smile and the light touches on his arm, now that he was getting used to it all over again after she had been gone for so long.

"Ready to head back, Captain?" Merlin said behind him once the girls were gone.

"You go on ahead," he said. He could see her raise an eyebrow at him out of the corner of his eye. "Don't even say a word. I'm going to make sure things are okay here. I'll contact you when I'm ready to go back."

Merlin chuckled. "I didn't even say anything," she mused, and a moment later, she evaporated into the air.

Now alone, Meliodas walked across the castle grounds. He headed towards the newly rebuilt headquarters for the Holy Knights of Liones, and was pleased that he was not challenged as he made his way to the building, anxious to see the Great Holy Knights.

Both Gilthunder and Howzer now shared the responsibility of Grand Master. The knights he passed in the hallways as he entered the building barely gave him a second glance, so he was able to quickly make his way up to where their offices were on the top floor. The building was large, nearly as large as the Magical Research Center it replaced, and rebuilt with a similar architecture style. If he had not been so focused on his destination, Meliodas might have stopped to marvel a bit at the elaborate building, or the artifacts from Liones that lined the hallways. Instead, he weaved his way through the corridors, searching for his friends.

When he finally found the room at the top, he gave a sharp rap on the door before practically bursting inside. Both Holy Knights were there, and both looked up startled as he entered. "Meliodas!" Gilthunder exclaimed as he stepped in and shut the door behind him.

"Little Gil! Howzer!" Meliodas grinned. "It's been a while. How are you both?"

"Everything is well," Howzer replied. He sat in a chair at a large desk in the room, and placed his arms behind his head as he grinned. "Surprised to see you back here, now that the princess is returned."

Meliodas cleared his throat. "Actually, I was just bringing her back. She wanted to come for a visit to the castle." He saw Gilthunder's eyebrows dart up in surprise, so he quickly went on, "I think Elizabeth was a bit homesick for her sisters. But it gave me a good reason to come and see you both, and see how the search was coming along."

The two knights glanced at each other. "What search exactly?" asked Howzer pleasantly.

With a huff of laughter Meliodas responded, "The one for who is behind Elizabeth's disappearance? Even though she's back, we need to know who took her. We still have to find them." He stepped around Gilthunder and peered at the documents laid out on the table. "I've had the Sins searching the area around Gouren, but we haven't turned up much. Have the Holy Knights uncovered anything?"

Gilthunder folded his arms. "Well, when we heard where she was found of course we alerted the unit that oversees that area of Liones, and they were told to keep an eye out."

Meliodas frowned. "Keep an eye out? We're looking for a kidnapper here, not a set of lost keys." His tone was meant to be playful, but it came out harsher than he intended, and Gilthunder winced.

"What Gil meant was," Howzer interrupted, "nothing has turned up, just as you said. You would certainly be the first to know if something did."

"Hmmm." Meliodas strolled around the room, looking at the books on the shelves and at the pictures on the walls. There were portraits of the royal family, and of Zaratras and Dreyfus and Hendrickson, and one that he paused to look at closely, an artist's rendering of the first Great War. The allied clans were on one side, ready to clash with the demons; it was terribly dramatic, and eye-catching, and Meliodas wondered who painted it.

"Is there anything else we can be of help with?" Gilthunder asked carefully.

Meliodas didn't answer, still staring at the painting. It made him almost uncomfortable to look at it, the colors and the perspective so realistic. The strange thing was, it seemed not so much a true to life picture, but something that would have been described to the artist; something like looking at a dream. He leaned in closer, peering past it, his eyes tracing through the brush strokes as he tried to make sense of the symbols it contained.

His thoughts were interrupted by Gil's voice. "Meliodas? Did you need something else?"

He stepped back, stuffing his hands in his pockets with a shrug. "I suppose not," he answered, pulling his eyes away from the painting and back to the two men. "The castle is well guarded, I assume?"

"The castle is always guarded," Howzer laughed. "You are not a Holy Knight anymore but you must at least remember how we operate."

Meliodas narrowed his eyes at his tone. "With Elizabeth here, you'll need to be more careful. There was an attempt again at the Boar Hat."

Gilthunder looked surprised, but Howzer laughed. "I think we have a _bit_ more defenses than the _Boar Hat_ , after all. This is a castle, not a tavern."

His chin dipped down as Meliodas said harshly, "Are you saying I can't protect the princess?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Howzer replied evenly.

"Because I can do a better job than you mediocre _Holy Knights_ ," bit out the Captain. Meliodas relished the sight of Gil's shocked expression and Howzer's darkening one. "It's not as if you were a bit of help in finding the princess during the search. Tell me, did you even want her found?"

Gilthunder sucked in a sharp breath, but Howzer's eyes narrowed. "You failed to find her too, I may remind you," answered the Holy Knight. "She was taken under _your_ watch."

"Are you saying this is my fault?" His hand went over his shoulder, hovering around the hilt of his sword.

Howzer was up immediately, his normally affable demeanor gone, and Gilthunder quickly stepped in between them. "No one is saying that," Gil said sharply. "Come on, let me walk you out."

Meliodas gave the other Grand Master one last glare before yanking the door open, the hinges bending under the force of his pull. He heard Howzer huff something in annoyance and Gil say something back, but he was too busy storming towards the stairs to care. "Meliodas! Wait!" he heard a voice call, and a moment later Gilthunder was stepping in front of him.

"What do you want?" he bit out, gritting his teeth. He was never harsh with Gilthunder, but even the _suggestion_ that he was somehow responsible got under his skin… Because deep down, Meliodas knew that Howzer was right. Embarrassed heat slid up the back of his neck and warmed his ears.

"Are you going back to the tavern?" asked the knight.

Shaking his head, Meliodas responded, "I'm going to stay here. Just in case—"

"It's really not necessary," GIlthunder insisted. Meliodas began to protest, but the knight cut him off. "I know you're worried. I don't blame you one bit. If it will make you feel better, I'll be in the castle myself tonight. There will be a guard on her the whole time, I swear it." Gil placed a heavy hand on his shoulder. "It might be best to just give her a bit of space. This is probably all still a bit of a shock."

Meliodas grumbled to himself. What Gil said made sense, and he _hated_ that. "I'm not going back to the Boar Hat. It's not even in the city yet."

"Actually, it arrived not long before you came in. We had just gotten word." Meliodas looked at him in confusion and Gilthunder laughed. "We always get word when any of our Holy Knights come in or out of the city."

He nodded, still confused. "That was really fast. Merlin must have moved them." Heaving a sigh, he said, "Fine. I'll go back. But I'm coming back tomorrow. And if anything happens—"

"Trust me," Gilthunder said with a small smile. "Nothing will happen to Elizabeth while she is here."

He hesitated just for a moment, and then turned and left. As he walked through the streets towards the city walls, he caught sight of the roof of the tavern at the top of a little hill just outside the wall, exactly where it normally situates while they are there. He tried not to look behind him at the palace, and how far away it was, how far away Elizabeth would be from him that night.

* * *

Meliodas sat alone at the bar, sipping absentmindedly on a tankard of ale. The rest of the Sins sat behind him at the tables in the bar, playing a card game and laughing as they drank themselves into a stupor. A few patrons had come and knocked on the tavern door, but at his insistence they did not open the tavern for service so Ban happily chased them away. Now they were enjoying the evening off the way they always did, with games and ale, ignoring the somber cloud that had settled over their captain.

He tipped the cup up, taking a long, slow drink. It had been a while since he had had any alcohol; since the day Elizabeth had returned, he realized. Was this the longest he had ever gone? It was possible, and he laughed humorlessly to himself at the idea. There was a plate of food next to him on the counter, but it was untouched. Distracted, he picked up the fork and peered closely at the cooked meat on the end, before setting it back down, not hungry at all.

"Where's Hawk?" he asked out loud, and Ban came over to stand next to him. Meliodas looked over and watched the tall Sin sway unsteadily on his feet before leaning over the wood of the counter.

"Master is in the back, as usual," he answered, stretching behind the bar and grabbing several bottles.

"He can have these," Meliodas sighed, inching the plate over.

Ban huffed. "Come on, Cap'n, don't you think you should eat~?"

Meliodas ignored him, turning back to his drink. Ban shrugged and picked up the plate, carrying it to the back on wobbly legs. The captain sighed at the raucous sounds behind him, the cheerful banter on his nerves, the jokes and laughter piercing his head. He had half a mind to just go up to his room, but the prospect of facing an empty bed again was unbelievably daunting. So he tuned out the rest and sipped his drink again, reviewing everything he knew in his mind.

Elizabeth had been taken from the Boar Hat sometime in the night while they slept. Although he wasn't completely sure Elizabeth had been sleeping. She may have been sleepwalking, or had gotten up for something. He cursed himself for not having Gowther look in her memories while Elizabeth was still there. How did he keep forgetting to do that? It seemed like he'd get more answers that way, as much as he hated the idea of the Goat Sin messing around in her mind.

So at some point Elizabeth had been taken in the night. He assumed the open window was the way the person got in, since it was the only unlocked door or window in the tavern that night. He remembered that, at least.

 _Unless Elizabeth let them in._

Meliodas grumbled and pushed away the idea. Whoever this was could not have been a friend, and Elizabeth knew better than to trust an unknown person. Especially one who came knocking at the tavern door in the middle of the night.

 _Knocking?_ Where did that idea come from? Meliodas shook his head. He was confusing himself, and he pushed the ale away, wanting as much clarity as he could get. The noise behind him seemed to be growing louder, but after his outburst at Howzer, Meliodas was trying to stay on his best behavior.

Someone had come into the window and taken Elizabeth out. It still bothered him that he never heard a thing, but Meliodas could be a heavy sleeper at times. What had they been doing that day? There was a service, that much he remembered, but as he tried to remember back further he was interrupted by a cheer at the table.

"I win!" Diane shrieked as the others groaned.

"You cheated," slurred Ban, and there was a thud and a scuffle.

"I did not!" Diane shouted as King yelled, "Diane doesn't cheat!"

There was another thump and more laughter, and then the scuffle was over. Meliodas thrummed his fingers on the wood and went back to his thoughts. They had looked for her for two hundred fifty-two days. Not a trace had been found of her, other than that one report of the girl with silver hair. But Meliodas didn't even know if that was real or imagined.

Putting that one lead aside, there was nothing else until she had been found wandering the road in Gouren. Meliodas leaned forward, running a hand through his hair, pulling it tightly in a fist and feeling suddenly sick. How was this possible? Why couldn't he figure this out? _Where had she gone?_

"You all right, Captain?" Irritated, he looked over his shoulder at the band of his friends who all were staring back in a mixture of amusement and concern. "Do you want to play?" asked King, holding up the deck.

"No, I'm not all right," he snapped. "And no, I don't want to play. Elizabeth's kidnapper is still out there, and you're all here, just having a good time. As if we don't have serious business to get to!"

They looked at one another, the alcohol inhibiting their ability to be subtle, and that annoyed him even more. "She's back, though," King said gently. "You should try to—"

"I don't _care_ if she's back!" he yelled, jumping up and knocking the stool over. Ban and Diane stood, but both Merlin and Gowther remained seated, the former watching him with measured caution, the latter with pure curiosity. "This isn't over yet!"

"Yes it _is_ , damn it~" Ban responded. He drew himself up to full height, staring down at the Captain. "Haven't ya noticed you're the only one still interested in this? That no one else is all that concerned?"

"Yeah, I noticed," Meliodas growled, his expression growing dark, even as Diane hissed, "Ban, don't—"

"Forget this! He needs to hear it." The Fox Sin stepped forward, his arms folded, staring down at Meliodas. "Your obsession with this is making you unstable. You're one trigger away from exploding, and let me tell ya, we're not letting that happen."

"My _obsession_?" Meliodas nearly laughed, but Ban nodded seriously.

"We just think you should let this go, just for a while," King said calmly. "We aren't any closer to finding any truth, and it's going to drive you insane if you don't keep it in check."

"Let this go?" he echoed. "Do you hear yourself? Elizabeth was _taken_."

There was a pause, and finally Merlin said, "Are you sure about that, Captain? Are you really sure?"

He could feel his hands balling into fists, the muscles in his arms practically twitching in anger. "Don't start this again, Merlin."

"Maybe," said Diane, "if we give the princess some time, she'll tell us herself where she went, and why she left."

Meliodas froze, the idea of this shaking him, the absolute gall of them to suggest such a thing causing his anger to flare dangerously. "Look at what this is doing to you now," King snapped out, pointing an accusing finger at him. The others all were focused on him, and he noticed how they shifted into defensive stances. There was the familiar burning under his skin, and he swallowed knowing his demon mark was bleeding across his forehead. "I'm fine," he bit out shakily.

"That's a damn lie," Ban said angrily, the air in the room growing even thicker with tension.

Nervously, Meliodas raised his hand, his fingers sliding through his bangs as his skin burned with the black mark. He took several deep breaths, and at once he felt his pulse start to slow, the skin now clammy and marked with perspiration. "I just need answers," he said shakily.

The others looked at one another again, but it was Gowther who said, "Perhaps we've been unsuccessful because there are no answers to find."

The room seemed to be closing in for a moment, his body feeling although it had been doused in ice water. Meliodas took just a second to grab Lostvayne off of the counter before he stalked past their silent stares. He clasped it to his back as he pushed through the front door and into the night, the little bell above the door the only sound to be heard.

* * *

 **A/N:** Okay so this is going out... twenty minutes early since I have a day of meetings tomorrow! So lucky for any of you night owls out there. Or early birds?

I cannot begin to tell you how much I've enjoyed the messages regarding this fic. It's been an absolute treat to hear your theories and ideas and to know that this story that was such a labor of love is being received. Thank you so much for reading, and as always, feel free to let me know how I'm doing and what you are thinking.

 **BettyBest2:** I understand the frustration with Elizabeth, but she cannot provide answers she does not have. Unless you are suggesting she is keeping answers from Meliodas? It is unusual for her not to try to help him, but there is a lot of unusualness going on.

 **TheGreatLlamaFish:** Confusion is fine, so is the main character! hehehe... Thank you so much for the kind words, as always I hope you enjoy the rest!

 **EJR Horselady:** You're the first one to mention Hawk. (I knew I liked you.)

 **Nhus321:** Officially suspicious? I love it! So Elizabeth might not be the actual Elizabeth... hmmm.

 **BaconWaffle2016:** I believe you did say that on AO3, and I blushed just as much then as I did now. You made some amazing observations, like how Elizabeth isn't the only one acting strangely, but Mel is too. And Ban is such a bro, isn't he? That's what makes him one of my faves too. And "creature" is... a word. :D

 **Vhosek:** I'm so glad you are feeling so on edge! Not that it's a good thing but... well hopefully you get what I'm saying. Yes, everyone is acting strangely. The question is, who really is?

 **mon couer:** Paranoia is definitely running rampant for Meliodas and unfortunately will continue to do so at this rate. I'm sorry for causing you pain but I hope you will find it worthwhile in the end!


	6. Hunting

**Part Six: Hunting**

There were voices at the door, but the pillows were so comfortable, the mattress soft, the blankets warm. A bit _too_ warm for his taste, always preferring a bit of cool, fresh air; but Elizabeth liked the plushness, so he had happily invested in nice, thick comforters for their bed. The voices came again, then a scraping and a thud. Meliodas murmured into the pillow, not wanting to be disturbed. He was just on the other side of consciousness, not awake but not asleep, deep enough in to escape reality but not so deep that he risked dreaming of her.

In an effort to escape the noise dragging him back to his empty life, Meliodas rolled a bit, reaching out to grab the pillow and bring it closer. He snuggled into it, taking a deep breath, and froze.

He had grabbed the wrong one.

He had grabbed _hers_ , and with that deep breath he had breathed in the scent of her, and the memory of her came flooding back into his mind. He could see her silver hair and the blue of her eyes; he could feel the delicate skin as he lifted her into his arms. His senses were suddenly assaulted, and Meliodas gasped for air: her laugh, her smile, her voice, her blood her hips her kiss her sigh her tears—

"I brought you something." The voice shattered the swirling feelings that engulfed him, and Meliodas sprang towards it. It hurt so _fucking badly_ to remember, and that voice made him make such a terrible mistake, but he remembered now and it was even _worse_ to be pulled away. He had her in his grasp for a moment, she was real and there for just a moment and now she was gone _again_.

But the alcohol in his system prevented the attack, and he crashed to the floor as his equilibrium suddenly went haywire. His head slammed against the wooden floorboards, sending stars into his vision; but still he fought, now cursing the blankets twisting around his legs. Meliodas shouted in frustration, his hands slipping as he tried to pull himself up, the pain in his chest twisting even as blood seeped down the side of his face. "Get out," he panted. "Get out."

Hands grabbed him and hauled him up, and Meliodas found himself sitting on the edge of the bed, a strong hand gripping his shoulder. "Careful," said a familiar voice, and when the vertigo subsided he pushed the hand away, catching himself from tipping over with a firm grip on the bed sheet.

He looked up and saw Gilthunder staring down at him with raised eyebrows. "They weren't lying when they said you were bad," he said, dragging a chair closer to sit in, the scraping sound echoing through Meliodas' skull.

"Get out," he replied, swallowing thickly. He reached to the side and picked up the closest tankard. The ale inside was warm, but it at least cleared the fuzzy feeling in his mouth and throat. He winced as he swallowed though, and after a second deep sip he shakily returned the cup to the table.

"Here." A handkerchief was offered, and Meliodas' stomach lurched. It was the type of item that he would associate with Elizabeth: pure, delicate, something that an aristocrat would have. Of course, Gil would not know that handkerchiefs were on the list of things Meliodas detested now: wildflowers, white ribbons, fireflies, fresh baked bread. There was no reasoning for _why_ those things reminded him so much of her; they just did, and that was enough, so he looked at the offered cloth with suspicion and disgust.

"Your head?" He looked up at Gilthunder's face, and with an angry swipe he snatched the handkerchief away and pressed it to the cut on his forehead.

There was a heavy silence, the only sound Meliodas' labored breathing. He was still feeling a bit shaky, having been woken up so violently from sleep, but he was getting a handle on his emotions, the alcohol helping to numb his nerves enough to function again. Switching the handkerchief to the other hand, he reached out and grabbed the tankard again, sipping slower this time. "Is that a good idea?" Gil asked, and Meliodas glared at him over the top as he swallowed.

"I brought you some food," Gilthunder said after another long moment.

"I don't want any," answered Meliodas dryly. He finished the drink and placed the tumbler carefully on the floor. "Thanks for coming by."

"I have some news for you as well, if you're interested." Meliodas was about to lean back on the bed, but suddenly he tensed and bolted straight up, his eyes widening. "Did you—"

"No," Gil answered, "it's not that. But I spoke to the king, and Howzer and I are in agreement that this is a waste. We want you and the other Sins to come back and work for the kingdom."

"No."

Gilthunder cleared his throat. "We will fund you, you will be restored your ranks as Holy Knights. You'll be considered a special squad, so you won't get assignments like the regular knights in service. You can even keep running the bar."

"No."

Meliodas watched as Gil squeezed his fingers where they rested on his knees as he tilted towards him. "Listen to me. This is a waste. You have something to do still. You could be helping us protect the kingdom, and instead you are wasting your life."

At this, Meliodas laughed. It rocked through his aching stomach and head, his shoulders shaking with the weight of it. "Do you think I care?" he gasped. "Do you know how many lives I've wasted already?"

"Meliodas, this could be a good thing for you. Would Elizabeth want you just wasting your time in bed, drinking yourself—"

"Get out." He turned around, reaching for the blankets, pulling them over himself and laying down, his eyes blurry as he looked at the pillow that lay next to him on the mattress.

* * *

Meliodas sat perched on the castle wall, blowing into his hands for warmth. The air had turned cold overnight, and he could feel the bite in his joints, but it did not matter. He didn't want to risk even going back for a warmer coat, resigning himself to putting up with the discomfort for a while.

His eyes remained trained on a particular window on the side of the castle. The light inside had gone out hours before, but he had managed to catch a glimpse of Elizabeth's silhouette as she walked past before it had gone dark. For a moment he bowed his head down, tilting a bit to stretch the muscles in his sore neck and shoulders. It had been ages, _years_ even, since he had to do reconnaissance such as this, and he cursed his lack of practice with a chuckle at himself. He was a three thousand year old demon, a soldier and a prince and a knight, and he had forgotten to bring a damn coat.

Another hour went by, then two. Nothing moved in the castle, other than the occasional bird, or a guard walking by on the ground far down below. Meliodas looked up at the sky and could see that the sun would be rising soon; the stars were looking just a bit paler, the sky more dark blue than black now. Slowly he stood, stretching his back, shaking his limbs out as the blood and the life rushed back into them. Once the castle was up, he'd be able to catch some rest. Until then, he was going to continue this watch.

With a deep breath, Meliodas looked back up to the window. For a moment, it was silent, still, and dark; but then something flickered, and his heart nearly leapt out of his chest. His hand immediately flew to his back, ready to pull Lostvayne out in a flash. Every muscle in his body tightened in preparation for him to leap forward.

There was a pause as he held his breath, waiting, his eyes trained for movement. Then it happened again, and his shoulders sagged in relief, realizing it was just the curtain, caught in the breeze.

 _Get a grip_ , he told himself, his hand shaking as he rubbed it over his face. When was the last time he slept? Had he slept a full night since Elizabeth was back? Meliodas looked down at his trembling hands, slowly balling them into fists, trying to take control of his nerves. He couldn't start to lose it now. Not when Elizabeth was still in danger, not when there was a predator to catch.

 _It's going to drive you insane._

 _Look what it's doing to you_.

 _Perhaps we've been unsuccessful because there are no answers to find_.

He shook his head again, drawing in deep breaths of the cold air. He didn't care what the Sins had said, what Baltra or Gilthunder or even Elizabeth thought. Meliodas knew that someone had taken Elizabeth, that she hadn't simply vanished. That person had tried again just days ago. Somehow he knew that person would try again.

Something seemed to catch his attention, a flicker of something out of the corner of his eye. At the same time, it felt as though there was a pricking sensation under his skin, and the hair on the back of his neck seemed to stand on end. Instantly he was up, watching, waiting, listening to his senses going haywire. His eyes darted around the stone wall of the castle, the night suddenly seeming too dark. What happened to the bit of dawn that had just begun to appear? Over and over his eyes returned to the dark window of Elizabeth's bedroom, but nothing moved again as he waited.

The entire night seemed to go still, even the air. His ears were filled with the sound of his breathing, his hand slowly going up again, wanting the feel of the firm hilt of his sword reassuring against his palm.

 _There_. Something was moving on the ground, a shadow but firmer, and his stomach turned in revulsion and anticipation. But when it started to go _up_ , scaling the side of the castle, the revulsion turned to fear, and with a growl Meliodas jumped off the side of the wall.

He landed easily on the stone ground below before he took off running, the sound of his boots echoing as he crossed the side courtyard. The main castle was directly in front of him, Elizabeth's window a straight shot above his head, but Meliodas kept his gaze on the slinking thing that moved steadily upwards. He picked up speed, and when the angle was right he jumped, the force of his movements allowing him to leap several stories straight up. Above him, whatever _it_ was continued to move. Meliodas began to scale the side of the castle, the stone giving easy footholds as he heaved himself higher and higher as fast as he could.

He prayed he was wrong as he climbed. Perhaps this was something to be explained, maybe some other creature heading for some other window in the night. His hearts beat frantically as he pushed himself to go faster, to just get there, not caring about the dizzying height or the aching in his fingers and his legs as he made the devastating climb. Then they were there, almost there, and he could see the sill of her window, the pane of the glass.

The window had been left open, and the thing slipped inside.

With a cry Meliodas heaved himself up, nearly losing his grip in the panic. His demon nature scratched at him, pawing to get out, the burn just under his skin. But he couldn't focus on that now, his hand finally gripping the lip of the sill. With a kick off the side of the wall he cleared the window, crashing inside and tumbling on the ground. In a split second he was up, turning around frantically as he tried to get his bearings in the pitch black room.

"Elizabeth?" he choked out. "Elizabeth!" There was a movement on the bed, and he nearly collapsed in relief; but then another movement on the other side of the room caught his eye, and he launched himself forward, drawing Lostvayne out at the same time. It was impossible to see in the dark, even with his sharp eyes, but his senses told him there was something there, so he thrust his sword forward.

His demon nature danced beneath his skin again, eager to be let free. The sound of a grunt came from the darkness as the blade made contact with something, easily slicing through the soft barrier. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Meliodas kept the demon mark at bay, thinking that the sound must be human; his dark nature argued back, _what human can scale a wall like that_?

He drew his left arm back, pulling the sword from the enemy, his right going flying with a punch. The thing dropped with a thud on the ground, and Meliodas peered through the dark to see what it could be, his chest heaving.

"Meliodas?" Elizabeth's voice made him step back, and he threw an arm out to the side. "Elizabeth, stay in your bed," he ordered, shocked to hear the twist in his voice.

"What's happened?" she cried, and then the sound of the bedsheets rustling, followed by soft footfalls. "Elizabeth!" he snapped harshly, turning his head, all at once blinking as the room was suddenly bathed in light from the lamp.

"Meliodas!" The spots in his vision cleared and he saw her standing across the room, her eyes and mouth wide in shock, one hand clutching the front of her nightgown. He shook his head in confusion, then looked down at his side. Lostvayne was coated red with blood, and Meliodas whirled around to see what he had fought.

It wasn't a monster, or a creature. His first assumption had been correct: it was a human, his torso a mess of blood, his face deathly pale as he sucked in shallow, painful breaths. Meliodas could feel himself shaking as he looked down at the intruder, his teeth gritting painfully together as he kept back the urge to stab him again and again. A drop of sweat slid down the side of his feverish face, his skin suddenly cold and clammy as Meliodas gazed down at him with a hardening fury.

"What have you done?!" Elizabeth cried. She ran over, and Meliodas put out a hand to stop her; but she pushed him away, crashing to her knees beside the dying man on the ground. "It's okay, it's okay, I can help you," she murmured, her hands going out in the familiar way, her fingers now glowing as her power pressed forward.

The sight of Elizabeth trying to save this man shocked him from his daze, and for a moment he had the urge to grab her and yank her away. But Elizabeth would save him, wouldn't she? Even for an enemy she would sacrifice herself to help, but Meliodas watched without any pity or regret. "Where is the guard?" he asked.

Elizabeth ignored him, her attention set to her task, so he said again, louder, "Where is the damn guard?" Still holding the bloodied sword, he stalked across the room, throwing open the door and shouting into the hallway, _"Where is the guard for the princess?!"_

Moments later Gilthunder himself appeared, running towards the room with his hand ready on his weapon. "Meliodas?" he cried. "What has happened? Is the princess safe?"

With an angry growl he grabbed the Holy Knight by the throat and slammed him into the wall. "Where is the damn guard?" Meliodas yelled. "You promised me she'd be protected! You said she would be well guarded!"

"What are you talking about?" Gilthunder choked, his hands trying to pry Meliodas' grip from his neck.

"Meliodas!" The sharp chastisement in Elizabeth's voice made him look over. She was still on the ground, kneeling next to the intruder, helping him sit up with her hands on his shoulders. Her eyes were wide on him, a look of fear and shock he had hoped to never see there. "Meliodas, stop this! Please!"

At her word his grip instantly loosened, and Gilthunder managed to push him off. He coughed, then stumbled a bit as he crossed over to the princess. "What happened?" he asked, halting when he saw the man on the ground. "Garon?" He looked up at Meliodas with accusing eyes. "What did you do?"

"I caught him breaking in here," Meliodas answered, his voice dangerous. "He climbed up the wall and into the window. Not a single one of your guards was in sight."

"He _was_ the guard," Gilthunder shot back. "He was doing what he was supposed to be doing, protecting the princess!"

"No!" shouted Meliodas. "I saw him! He… he was climbing up the wall! In some kind of shadow. It was dark, and I didn't…" Furiously he whirled on the knight sitting on the ground, who was looking at the Sin in shock. "Who are you really? How did you do all this?"

The man just shook his head. "I don't know what you mean, I didn't—"

"You did! I saw you!" Meliodas yelled wildly.

There was a shocked silence, and his eyes went to Elizabeth's. She was gazing at him with a mixture of horror and disbelief. He took a step towards her, but she shook her head.

Gilthunder walked over and hauled the man onto his feet. "Come on, you need to get somewhere to rest." The Holy Knight shot Meliodas a look and said, "Don't leave," before helping the man out on shaking legs.

Meliodas watched them go, his mind and his body numb. He stared blankly at the floor, thinking, _I know what I saw_. His hands clenched reflexively; realizing he was still holding Lostvayne, he slowly sheathed it against his back. _I know what I saw_.

Something called his name, but all he could see and hear was the blackness that had scaled the wall so easily. That had slipped inside her window. Her open window. "Meliodas?" Why was her window open, again? Where was the guard?

"Meliodas?" His head snapped up, and Elizabeth was there, the terror in her eyes gone, replaced with soft concern.

"I know what I saw," he said harshly, and Elizabeth nodded, her hands gently coming up to cup his face. Then he reached out and grabbed her, hauling her against him, his fingers gripping her gown tightly as he pressed his cold face into her neck. The urge to feel her alive and solid and whole was overwhelming him, and when he closed his eyes he could hear her heart beating rapidly as he squeezed her closer.

He held her like this, unmoving for several long moments, until her gentle hands pressed on his shoulders, easing him back. Meliodas searched her face, now etched with confusion and concern; then his eyes moved downwards, swallowing thickly when he saw where his hand had stained her gown red with blood.

* * *

 **A/N:** You know, as I wrote this I put in details I thought for sure no one would notice. One of those things was the painting.. and then _everyone_ noticed it! I need to strengthen my mystery writing skills...

Thank you again so much for reading. Every time I start to doubt myself a bit I get another notification and it reminds me what a wonderful community this fandom is.

 **BettyBest2:** I can understand your frustration, my dear. I'm always the last to figure things out too. Feel free to sit back and take the ride.

 **EJR Horselady:** Yup, Hawk is in the back again. Meliodas isn't sure when the painting was put up, but he is sure he has never seen it before.

 **Vhosek:** A sock missing under the couch? What a perfect way to describe the way they are acting!

 **Night'sBullet:** Thank you so much for your kind words! The painting did seem like a dream to Meliodas, although he was interrupted before he could ask anything about it. It's unclear if it went up before or after the disappearance. The Grand Masters redecorated a bit when they assumed the office, but Meliodas is sure he has never seen it before.

 **BaconWaffle2016:** It is strange without Hawk popping up, isn't it? I can assure you, however, that he is indeed in the back.

 **Anonymous:** I feel bad for Meliodas too, and absolutely terrible about what is to come for him.

 **Nhus321:** I don't think you are being too harsh, although Elizabeth is acting heartless for sure. Is it to protect Meliodas, or herself? And yes! The opening to the anime was definitely inspiration as I tried to picture that painting. There have been several versions and it's fun to examine them closely, isn't it? Interesting theory that the painter has something to do with this.

 **mon coeur:** Yup, still no Hawk. Meliodas keeps meaning to speak to him but gets distracted. I can say with great certainty that neither Merlin nor Gowther know what happened, although Merlin certainly has her suspicions. Gowther would offer his own theory if he was ever asked, I suppose.


	7. Grasping

**Part Seven: Grasping**

The bell above the Boar Hat chimed, and Meliodas grit his teeth in aggravation. "We're closed!" he shouted from the storage room. When the bell did not sound again, he made an angry growl and stomped back into the main room. Where was everyone else? Where was Hawk? He had too much to do to be disturbed by some locals looking to get drunk.

He pulled up short to see Princess Margaret standing there. It had been barely an hour since he had stormed out of the strategy meeting at the palace, when the princess had admonished him for speaking disrespectfully to her father, when she had insisted they all loved Elizabeth. He pursed his lips together and folded his arms stiffly. "What do you want?" he bit out sharply.

Margaret drew her shoulders back, unused to such harshness, he was sure. "I want to know what happened to my sister," she answered, her voice tight with closely controlled emotion.

His face immediately furrowed into a deep frown. "What are you talking about? I don't know what happened to her. If I knew, do you think I'd be standing around here?" His voice had risen to practically a shout, but he couldn't care. What was the princess accusing him of exactly?

She stepped closer to him, her eyes blazing with a sudden fire. "I know you know where she is. Did you hurt her? Did you—did you kill her?" Her breath caught in a twisted sob, and Meliodas' mouth fell open in shock. "If it was an accident, I still just—I need to know! I need to know what happened to her!"

"You think _I killed her_?" he roared back, making the princess flinch. His hands balled into fists at his sides as he tried to reason with himself to calm down. "You think I could harm her? What is _wrong with you_?"

"I— I—" Tears began to fall down her cheeks, and Margaret blinked rapidly. "I'm going mad from not knowing. We've looked everywhere, simply _everywhere_ and she's not—"

A sob wracked through her, and Margaret collapsed heavily on a stool. She propped her elbows on the table, burying her face in her hands. "Please, please just tell me," she moaned. "Please, I need to know what you did to my sister."

"Get out," he said menacingly. Margaret looked up sharply, her eyes and mouth wide circles. "Get out of here."

With a pained swallow, Margaret hurried on, "I'm sorry, I know you would never hurt her. But maybe you know—"

"I don't know!" The rage swirling inside of him was making his blood boil, and he wanted nothing more than to take the fear and pain from the past several months, the rejection from the meeting earlier, and use it to throw the princess out. "I don't know what happened to her. But I'm still looking. I'm going to find her." With a grimace he narrowed his eyes. "Unlike you and the king and all the rest, I'm not going to stop."

Margaret closed her eyes, and there was a brief silence as she heaved in and out one deep breath after another. Finally she spoke again, her words sending a shiver of cold through him. "I begged Father not to call off the search. I asked Gilthunder, pleaded with him to keep looking. But they won't go on. They said there is no hope, but I can't let go, I _can't_." She lifted her eyes, now rimmed with red, to Meliodas. "Please don't stop. Please find Elizabeth. _Please_."

The fight now knocked from him, Meliodas slowly walked over to her, sitting down in the stool besides hers. "I will," he said quietly. "I swear I will never stop. I don't care how long it takes."

"There had to be a reason for her to go," Margaret whispered. "Why would she leave and not come to me? What was she thinking?"

"She didn't leave," Meliodas insisted harshly. "She was taken."

"But you don't have any evidence of that. You haven't found one single trace of her." Margaret looked away, color blazing on her cheeks. "Did you argue? Was Elizabeth upset?"

Meliodas wanted to lash out again, but if he was honest with himself, Margaret's pain was hitting a deep chord inside of him. He wanted to comfort her; it was what Elizabeth would have wanted him to do in that moment. And, he had to admit, her questions were fair. After all, he was the last one to see Elizabeth before she was gone. "No," he answered thickly. "She was fine. We laughed before bed."

"Did she say anything about me? About her family?" whispered Margaret. Meliodas shook his head, and then she murmured, "Was she pregnant?"

"No!" he snapped at her, then swallowed to keep his temper back again. "It wasn't like that. We never—it wasn't like that."

"I'm sorry. I had to ask." She swiped tears away from her eyes as she blew out a slow breath. "I think Elizabeth loved you. I could tell." Margaret looked at him from the corner of her eye. "I don't believe there would have been anyone else."

Meliodas knew she was trying to make him feel better, but her assurances were actually making everything worse. He sat silently as the princess pulled herself together. "I can give you money," she finally said. "If you need something—"

"I don't want your money." Meliodas spoke quietly, keeping his voice from shaking. "I just want to find Elizabeth."

The princess looked at him seriously and then nodded. Without another word she stood and left, the bell jingling as the door shut behind her.

* * *

Meliodas sat at the end of the table, looking at his hands. The skin had healed from being torn during his climb up the castle wall, and he had washed the blood from the soldier he injured before being brought here to face the king. He smoothed his fingers over the back of the other hand, looking absently at the way his skin had weaved itself together. It amazed him suddenly how easy it was to heal his body, how naturally his power would act to keep him safe and whole. Any wound, any hurt, would eventually heal and allow him to keep living, keep fighting. His entire being was created in order keep working.

"Captain." The familiar epithet caught his attention, and Meliodas looked up. King hovered over him, his arms folded as he sat on Chastiefol, his face an indifferent mask. But he had known his friend for many years, and could see the concern with a tint of unease behind it. He had seen this suspicion before. "Are you all right?"

Meliodas turned and looked across the room. Elizabeth sat next to Margaret, their heads bowed together as they spoke. Once in a while the princess would steal a glance towards him out of the corner of her eye. "I'm fine," he said, trying to sound cheery. "Everything is fine."

Elizabeth looked over at him again, and they locked eyes. He sighed, wondering what would happen to them now. Not that any of them could truly stop him from doing exactly what he wanted. Well, Merlin, maybe, his eyes flickering briefly to the mage who sat nearby, gazing into Aldan. If she felt his glance, she did not show, and his eyes continued around the room. It was a select group in the room: the two princesses, the Great Holy Knights, the Fairy King, Merlin as an ambassador from Camelot.

King gave him another suspicious glance before moving towards the princesses. Howzer and Gilthunder took no notice of anyone else, seeming to be locked in an intense conversation. Their whispers echoed a bit in the silent room, and Meliodas slid his gaze back to Merlin. Now she looked up at him, her eyes peering through the sweep of bangs across her face, her expression serious.

Meliodas did not trust her; did not trust any of them. Occasionally one of them would glance over at him, but none tried to speak to him. They were waiting for the king to arrive and pass his judgment on the Dragon Sin for breaking into the castle and attacking one of the Liones royal guard, and he was surprisingly calm for such an event.

Not that any of them could truly stop him from doing exactly what he wanted.

The door opened and the king entered. All rose respectfully, standing in wait until he took his seat. The others gathered around the table, and Meliodas was reminded of the last time he had met in a council such as this, when they were still searching for Elizabeth. He and Baltra had exchanged terse words then, and as he met the king's stony gaze, he was struck by the similarity between then and now. Baltra had wanted him to give up his search, just as he did now. They wanted him to move on, just as they told him to now. He was chastised by the king for his foolishness, just as he was about to be now.

"Sit, Meliodas," the king said.

The others were already seated, and only he remained standing. Meliodas crossed his arms and smiled. "I'm fine," he said pleasantly.

Baltra pressed his lips together in a clear sign of disapproval before saying, "The Grand Masters have briefed me on the soldier's condition. You'll be glad to know that he'll be fine, thanks to my daughter." The king smiled at Elizabeth, who blushed a bit and lowered her eyes down for a moment before looking uncertainly over at Meliodas.

Meanwhile, an uncomfortable heat climbed up the back of Meliodas' neck. "That is good news," he finally said thickly.

"I understand you were stalking the castle even though the princess and the Great Holy Knights insisted you leave," the king continued.

He met Baltra's disapproving gaze with a half smile. "I wouldn't call it stalking," replied Meliodas. "I was simply doing my duty to the royal family, as any Holy Knight would do."

"You are not a Holy Knight," Gilthunder growled. "You refused that offer, remember? You are a citizen of this realm and subject to its laws."

Meliodas breathed slowly, feeling his temper rise. "I know what I am," he answered evenly. "What I don't know is why the Holy Knights of Liones have no interest in protecting the princess."

The room grew instantly tense with his accusation, but Meliodas kept his smile, even when Howzer slowly began to stand. "I was assured by the Grand Masters there would be a guard on Elizabeth at all times, yet when I arrived there was no one outside or inside. Gilthunder said he'd be there himself, but he was down the hallway, presumably in Margaret's room." There was a gasp, and only Howzer's hand on Gilthunder's arm kept him from leaping over the table. "Meanwhile, a dark creature was creeping around the castle, unchecked by any guard, the perimeter of wall completely left open. After all, no one challenged even me as I sat there for hours. No one would have even known I was there until _I_ announced myself—"

"Enough!" Gilthunder roared, his fist slamming on the table as he shrugged Howzer away. "How dare you make such accusations!"

Meliodas looked over at him coldly. "There are no accusations being made. I'm simply stating fact, and the fact is—"

"You don't know a damn thing!" shouted Gilthunder. "You've been too busy drinking yourself half to death for months to know what day it even is!"

"Gil, please," Margaret whispered harshly, leaning across the table for his hand, but the Holy Knight stepped away and towards the Dragon Sin. Howzer positioned himself between them, his hands up as he ground out, "Get a hold of yourself! You are the Grand Master!"

"You gave up looking for her," Meliodas snapped back at him. "All of you did." His eyes swept accusingly around the table before landing on a fuming Baltra. "Why is that? Why did no one else in this room care about what happened to Elizabeth?"

"You gave up too," Margaret said sharply, and the room went silent. Meliodas looked at the first princess, whose eyes were cold and hard on him. "You told me you would never stop, and you did."

"Enough," said Elizabeth quietly. She lifted her head and looked around the room, her gaze lingering on her father before continuing and finally settling on Meliodas. "There have already been too many tears, too many harsh words on my account." She offered Meliodas a smile that made his heart beat a bit faster. "Can we just go home? Go back to the Boar Hat and live out our lives together?"

Meliodas sighed, his brows turned down. "Elizabeth," he said painfully, but Baltra interrupted, "Absolutely not! I won't allow this!"

Elizabeth ignored him, instead turning to Merlin and saying, "If Sir Gowther looks in my memories, will he be able to see what happened to me?"

"Perhaps," she answered, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise. "Are you sure you want him to look?"

Meliodas' heart pounded as Elizabeth answered, "Yes, I'm sure." She looked around at the others, and he felt himself go a bit weak when her gaze fell on him. "It's time we learned the truth of what happened to me."

* * *

Meliodas insisted on the rest of the Sins being present. Margaret was there too, and Howzer accompanied her to the tavern. She and Meliodas had exchanged a glance when they arrived at the Boar Hat with Elizabeth to meet with Gowther, and he was glad that Gilthunder was not with them. It pained him to be so at odds with his friend, but it could not be helped. If he continued to insist that there was nothing wrong, nothing to do to keep Elizabeth safe, then there was, as far as he was concerned, nothing further to discuss.

Howzer asked to speak to him privately, and the two stepped away from the others. "Depending on what we hear," the Holy Knight said, "I'm willing to offer what help I can. Gil and Baltra may not like it, but I want to help you."

"Thank you," Meliodas said, and he meant it.

Elizabeth was seated in a stool, her sister next to her, holding her hand on her lap. Meliodas walked over and gave her a smile, his hands in his pockets. "Are you ready?" he asked.

Nodding, the princess said, "Yes. I want to have this done, once and for all." Suddenly she looked up at him, biting her lip. "You won't be mad… no matter what he finds?" she whispered.

"Of course not," he said quietly. With a reassuring pat on her shoulder, he gestured for Gowther to approach.

The Goat Sin stood in front of the princess, Merlin nearby in case she needed to step in. He lifted one hand and pointed his index and middle finger at Elizabeth, calling, " _Searchlight_." Instantly a bolt of white lightning shot from the tips of his fingers and entered her head. Elizabeth jolted, in her seat, her eyes wide. There was not a sound as they watched, the air thick with tension, all eyes on them as they waited.

"What do you see, Gowther?" Merlin asked after a long moment.

Gowther scowled deeply, his lips pursing tightly together into a small circle. "It's difficult to tell," he finally said. "Things seem to be altered."

"Altered?" asked Merlin. "Her memories have been tampered with?"

"Not exactly," Gowther replied. "But things are not correct. Like the words on a page that have been scrambled. It's there, but the meaning is lost."

Elizabeth looked over her shoulder with a pained expression, and Meliodas frowned. "What does this mean? You can't tell us anything."

"On the contrary," Gowther said. "I can tell you what I see." His eyes went blank for a moment, his head tilting slightly. "There is a dark staircase. The princess is walking carefully. Her hand is on the wall for balance."

"The stairs in the Boar Hat?" King asked, but Gowther ignored him and went on, "A door is bolted, and the princess pulls it open. A gust of wind blows in the leaves. The floor is covered in leaves."

The others all looked at one another, but Meliodas looked away, deep in thought. Were there leaves in the tavern on the morning Elizabeth went missing? He could not say for sure.

"She goes outside and is speaking to someone. Her Highness is not afraid." Gowther paused, as if listening. "Then the beast arrives to take her away."

Margaret gasped, but Meliodas could barely hear above the pounding in his ears. Finally, _finally_ they have a clue, a person a thing a creature to find. "What is it?" he asked eagerly.

"I cannot see in the dark," said Gowther. "I can only feel its presence. It is here to take Elizabeth away. He needs something to do, so the princess is leaving."

"Who?" Meliodas pleaded. "Who is it?"

Gowther narrowed his eyes, as if peering at something far off. "I see it," he finally said. "It is the Captain of the Seven Deadly Sins, the Dragon Sin of Wrath, Meliodas."

* * *

 **A/N:** I love how everyone leapt to Meliodas' defense last chapter. Not many seemed to question what Meliodas saw. I wonder if this chapter will inspire such loyalty?

Thanks for reading! We are getting closer to the end, and each week is more nerve wracking as more secrets are revealed. I hope you continue to enjoy.

 **BettyBest2:** I know you love Meliodas as much as I do, and it does hurt to see him so confused and out of his element, which is very un-Meliodas!

 **Vhosek:** It does seem like someone or something is trying to pull Meliodas away from the rest. And yes, Meliodas is not going to look good, for a bit anyway.

 **Anonymous:** I'm so glad to hear it! Building suspense is much harder than it looks. Thank you for the compliment.

 **Nhus321:** I suppose some of them do believe him... maybe just Ban.

 **QueenGreen23:** He is indeed.

 **aviselan:** Thank you so much! If you want to draw, go for it! What a compliment. I've drawn a couple of scenes myself (my friends Vetur02, woundedowl, and BettyBest2 are being kind enough to teach me how to draw). You are extremely kind to say such wonderful things and I am humbled you think so.

 **SheWolf412:** Thank you again for the message! I hope you like the rest.


	8. Doubting

**Part Eight: Doubting**

"Are you sure about this, Captain~?"

Meliodas took a deep breath, a sharp pain slicing through his chest. "Yeah," he sighed. He looked up from the table to offer Ban a weak smile. "I've run out of every other idea. Now there's nothing left to do but… drink."

"Ha!" Ban cried, clapping him hard on the back. "Now this is something I can get behind!" The Fox Sin produced two large beer steins and dragged over the first of many barrels of ale to the table. "Let's get started!"

Meliodas watched as he filled the two mugs, taking his half-heartedly. Under any other circumstance, he would be beyond thrilled with an indefinite binge with his best friend. But now, as he peered down into the dark amber liquid, he wondered if he was doing the right thing.

"What should we drink to?" Ban asked, giving him a nudge.

Meliodas cleared his throat. "To Elizabeth," he answered, raising his cup.

Ban nodded. "The princess," was the response. The two tapped their mugs together, and then both slowly drained their drinks until not a drop remained.

"There we go," Ban said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "This is a good batch. How did you get all this?"

"The people in Bernia owed me a favor," Meliodas responded, handing his cup over for a refill. "They gave me all they had, at a big discount."

Ban snorted. "We'll have every customer in Britannia at the bar with the only Bernia stock in the entire kingdom."

Meliodas shrugged. "If we don't drink it all first."

He took another long drink as Ban laughed. "That's the spirit! What should we drink to now?"

"This will take forever if we have to think up a toast for every cup."

Meliodas eyed his friend, who was thoughtfully draining his own mug. Only Ban could look astute while getting himself drunk. "Then how about a game?" he finally suggested, tipping back expertly on one leg of his stool. "Not for nothing, Captain, but you've been kind of a drag lately."

Unable to help the laugh that escaped, Meliodas smothered it with another long sip. "What game do you propose?"

"Hmmm." Ban scratched his head. "Do you have any suggestions?"

"Nothing you won't cheat at," Meliodas scoffed.

Ban snorted. "I'm a cheat? As if you won't keep changing the rules." He shook his head as he lifted the mug to his lips. "You certainly have turned into a miserable bastard."

Meliodas felt his face getting a bit hot. "Do you really blame me?" he asked tightly.

Shrugging, Ban leaned over—a bit wobbly, Meliodas noted—and refilled from the tap. "Just thought you'd be better equipped for misery is all."

"What is that supposed to mean?" snapped Meliodas, holding his own cup out for more.

Ban took the mug from him and poured him another. "Well, ain't you been around a while? This can't be the first girl you lost."

Snatching the drink away from his friend, he quickly drained it completely, trying to cool down the flash of white hot anger that had flared up the back of his neck. "I didn't _lose_ Elizabeth," he choked out when he was finished, leaning over to refill for himself. "And _no_ , it's not the first time but—it doesn't necessarily get any easier."

They sat in silence for a minute, both eyeing the other as they drank. "Who was that other one?" Ban asked suddenly. "The one that gave you the sword."

Meliodas' back stiffened. "She died. And I don't want to talk about it."

Ban nodded as he refilled himself again, his steadiness with the spout becoming more and more questionable. "You know, it ain't like I don't know about all this anyway. Mine died too. And I had to _watch_ her die right in front of me."

Taking a large swallow Meliodas growled, "Yeah, and I watched Liz die too. What's your point?"

"Liz? Her name was Liz?" Ban laughed, slamming his hand down on the table, making Meliodas jump. "You sure got a thing for women named Elizabeth, don't you?" He howled with laughter, and with a shaking hand Meliodas brought his mug back to his mouth. Ban was obviously getting drunk, and he shouldn't be too angry. But each laugh seemed to rock right through his skull, sending a jolt through his nerves.

"All I'm sayin', Cap'n~" Ban slurred, leaning forward over the table, "is ya gotta get it out. You gotta… you gotta not leave it all in there. Or else ya turn into a miserable bastard."

Meliodas eyed his friend as he nodded solemnly, sighing as Ban continued his monologue of advice. One mug after another was drained, three entire barrels in fact, as he went on and on, telling Meliodas to _listen to his mind_ , and _look for the small things_ , and _find out what is real_ and other such nonsense. He was still a ways off from being as intoxicated as he wanted, but his head was definitely swimming as Ban's voice droned at him.

His friend was slumped completely on the table, his head on the wood as he continued mumbling. "Cap~" Ban stuttered. "You s-sure she gone? Maybe she just… sleep."

Meliodas laughed humorlessly, watching as the mug Ban was holding slowly tipped over, spilling its contents right on top of his lap. "Pretty sure she's gone," he answered sadly.

There was light snoring coming from his friend, so Meliodas continued his drink in silence. After another refill, Meliodas considered switching to something stronger, when Ban unexpectedly spoke again. "Why her though, Cap'n~?" he asked.

"Why her?" Meliodas echoed. He thought for a moment in silence as he took another deep drink. "I love her. I have for a really, really long time. She's just—she's everything."

He continued drinking alone, opening another barrel, then another, then another, until there were dozens of empties strewn about. Still, Ban's question pulsed inside of him as an hour slipped by, then another… when suddenly he had the urge to talk.

Meliodas sighed, his eyes closing briefly as he said to his unconscious friend, "You don't get what it was like, before she came along. There's something that's _worse_ than loss, you know. And that's _emptiness_. And that's what I had—nothing." Smiling, Meliodas propped his head up on his hand, his elbow on the table. "When I met her it was… it was like, I had thought I knew what I wanted, what I was doing. She totally ruined all that. Destroyed it, really. Everything I wanted, everything I _was_ just seemed so pointless. I was living for her."

Ban was fast asleep, but Meliodas didn't care. He refilled his mug again and went on, "You want to talk about loss—that was—" He huffed for a moment, covering up his distress with another sip. "Liz though… she was something. Completely surprised even me. And I didn't think I could be surprised, not anymore. Then when she was killed, I thought, that's it. I refused to do it again. I had finally forgotten what that felt like. It took almost three thousand years for me to get over it, and the second that wound closed—"

His lungs were tight, his stomach twisting, and quickly Meliodas drained his drink. Finally, _finally_ , things were getting a bit hazy, the world seeming a bit slower, and he leaned over to fill up his mug. He took a few more sips, then laid the cup down heavily on the table, pressing the heels of his hands against his forehead. This was supposed to make things better, but it was only getting worse.

His fingers curled in his hair, pulling it tightly, pain smarting from his scalp. "Elizabeth," he whispered harshly. "I can't do this again. I can't love you again." He dragged his hands down his face, his skin tingling with numbness, rubbing his fingers in his eyes. Then he quickly reached out and snapped up the mug, draining it once more. "You keep doing this. I keep loving you and you keep doing this."

A strange noise came from his throat, and Meliodas was practically throwing himself forward, desperate to refill his mug. The noise came again, and again, and with a strange sort of horror he realized he was _crying_ , as he tried to drain the last bit of ale from the barrel. The twisting in his stomach suddenly grew sharp, and he toppled over onto the ground, weakly sinking onto his knees.

Drinking down the last of the ale, Meliodas rolled onto his back. Tears were streaming freely down the sides of his face, but he realized he did not care, and it was a relief. "Elizabeth?" he whispered into the emptiness. "Elizabeth, if you can hear me, then please. Don't come back. I don't think I can do this again." There was no answer, of course, and he closed his eyes. "Don't come back."

* * *

The tavern was silent, everyone frozen in shock. Meliodas stared at Gowther in an acute sense of horror, his mind turning over and over the information he had just heard. _The Captain of the Seven Deadly Sins. The Dragon Sin of Wrath. Meliodas._

 _How?_

Elizabeth placed a hand on his arm, "Sir Meliodas?" she whispered, her voice sounding frightened. "What does this mean?"

He took a step to the side, moving cautiously. He could see how the others shifted, almost imperceptibly, probably most of them not realizing it. But he was a soldier who had been in more dangerous situations than anyone else there, and he could recognize fighting stances when he saw them. Even King lowered himself slowly to the ground, Chastiefol hovering next to him.

Should he run? Fight? Deny it all? Every option ran through his brain, but nothing made sense.

"That seems to be all," Gowther finally said, pushing his glasses up his nose. He looked around the room with a blank stare. "I detect elevated levels of stress. What is wrong?"

"Captain," said Merlin, "is there something you'd like to tell us?"

Meliodas felt his expression hardening, his eyes narrowing. "What Gowther said is wrong," he answered, his tone final.

"On the contrary," Gowther offered, "the images in the princess' mind were very clear."

"You're wrong," he bit back. "There's no way she has a memory of me taking her, because it didn't happen."

Gowther tilted his head a bit. "I see the confusion. No, these are not the princess' memories, but simply _impressions_ that were left that night, and afterwards."

"What does that mean?" Elizabeth asked, her fingers on his arm tightening.

"I can't be sure," he answered. "These are _your_ thoughts. Were you thinking of the Captain during the time of your abduction?"

Everyone looked at the princess, and she turned a rosy color. "I… can't be sure either," she said quietly. "I suppose it makes sense, that I would be thinking of Sir Meliodas."

Meliodas looked down at her, a pain in his chest and head. He thought of her alone, scared, thinking of him, hoping he would find her. An overwhelming sense of guilt suddenly rocked through him. "I'm sorry," he whispered, and she looked up at him in surprise.

"Even so," Howzer said. "This does not bring us any good information." His eyes were steady on the captain, and Meliodas noticed how his hand was now sitting casually on the hilt of his lance.

"I know what you are all thinking," Meliodas said to the room. "I didn't do this."

"Of course you didn't," Ban replied, his arms folded as he glared at the others. The air was thick with the silence in the room as they looked uneasily at one another. "Come on, it's getting late," Ban said loudly, pounding his fist on the table and making everyone jump. "Let's eat something."

That seemed to break the tension, and he and Diane moved towards the back, King following behind. Merlin turned to look inside her Sacred Treasure, and Meliodas watched as Howzer leaned down to murmur something in Margaret's ear. He breathed a slow sigh of relief as everything seemed to resume back to normal.

Meliodas took a step but was stopped by Elizabeth's hand still firm on his arm. "Where are you going?" she asked, standing and taking a step after him.

"Just upstairs," he answered, not turning around.

"But dinner—"

"I'm not hungry." He winced a bit at the harsh tone in his voice, and then went on, a bit calmer, "I just need to think for a while." Eyeing Elizabeth over his shoulder, he asked, "Will you be all right?"

She nodded, and then let go of his arm after a final squeeze. Without another word to anyone he hurried up the steps, closing the door to his bedroom firmly behind him.

Meliodas took several long, deep breaths once he was in the solitude of his room. Quickly he checked to make sure the window was locked, and then he headed into the washroom. He pulled off his shirt and poured some water into the basin next to the sink, quickly splashing the cool water on his face. It was a bit more shocking than he expected, but it felt good, and Meliodas almost felt awake. When was the last time he slept?

Grabbing a towel, he rubbed his face and hair, not wanting to see how bad his reflection looked now. He kicked off his boots and went back to the bedroom, flopping down on the mattress without bothering to replace his shirt. The sun was going down again—the days were _so_ fast anymore—and the slanted light in the room made everything feel even more quiet and still. Turning his head to look out the window, he placed one hand behind his head, the other on his stomach, and just focused on breathing in and out.

One thought after another tumbled through his mind, and he wished he could turn it off for a while. Hearing his name come from Gowther downstairs had nearly done him in; but Meliodas knew that he was wrong. At times, especially lately, he admitted to himself, it seemed as though his mind was shattering, spinning into a hundred different directions. There were moments where he had feared that he was going to lose himself to madness, the fear and pain and loneliness tearing him apart piece by piece. But he _knew_ Gowther was wrong.

Just like he knew there was a dark figure that climbed the wall. Like he knew something tried to take her again from the Boar Hat. Like he knew a silver-haired girl being spotted in the same town she was eventually found wasn't a coincidence. Like he knew that the Holy Knights were unusually idle in their duties, and that Gilthunder and even the king seemed to not just be unwilling to help protect the princess, but actually sabotaging his own efforts. Like he knew that the other Sins were looking at him as if he was losing his mind.

A short time later, the door opened without a knock and Ban stepped in. "We're ready to eat, Captain~" he said as he walked around the bed.

"Not hungry," Meliodas mumbled, still looking out the window. "You can give mine to Hawk." He smiled for a moment at that, knowing it would make the boar happy; then he frowned. Again he had forgotten to check on him, and Hawk hadn't been there with the others in the main room. At least, not that he could remember.

His friend stood at the foot of the bed, and Meliodas could feel his eyes on him. He braced himself for a lecture, but after a minute Ban simply said, "So is there gonna be anything else?"

"What do you mean?" asked Meliodas, peeking down to look at Ban.

Shrugging, Ban answered, "Are we gonna keep looking? Are we done with the search? You going back to sitting on the castle wall every night?"

Too tired to argue, Meliodas responded, "I don't know."

"Hmmm~" There was another pause before Ban continued, "That thing you saw climbing the wall. Think it's the creature Gowther pulled from the princess' mind?"

For a moment, Meliodas froze, feeling heat pounding in his head. "I don't know," he finally said, again.

Ban nodded. "Okay then," he said, and walked out.

The door shut with a firm click, and Meliodas turned his head to look back out the window. Exhaustion was settling over him, weighing him down. The air was cooling with the sun setting, and he shivered slightly, his eyes drooping closed. There was so much to think about and go over and consider, a plan to make, decisions about where to go and what to do next. But he was simply so _tired_ in this moment, that he just watched the sky get darker and darker instead.

Some time later, the door clicked open again. "Sir Meliodas?" a soft voice called, rousing him from the dozing state he was just settled into. "Are you still asleep?"

"Elizabeth," he whispered, her name brushing past his lips, so softly he barely could hear it himself. The weighty lethargy made his limbs feel like they were made of lead, and he took a deep breath as he tried unsuccessfully to sit up. "Elizabeth," he murmured again.

"Shhhh." He felt the bed dip, and then a soothing hand was tracing through his hair, rubbing his scalp soothingly. "Meliodas, I have… I have so much I want to tell you."

He sighed, the weight now squeezing around his heart. He had his own confessions to make to her. When she was gone, he had _sworn_ to himself that if she came back he would stop wasting time. He promised himself that he would tell her everything about himself, that he would tell her he loved her, that he would dedicate his life to making her happy. And what had he been doing instead? Dragging her around Britannia, lashing out at everyone, focusing only on this mission instead of her. When was the last time he checked to see how she was feeling about all this? When was the last time they spoke about anything other than her disappearance?

Emotion scratched at the back of his throat. All he wanted right then was to grab her up and hold her tightly; but her fingers continued stroking his hair, and the comforting motions dragged him further into sleep. "Meliodas," she whispered again. "I need you with me. I don't want us to be apart anymore."

 _Me neither_ , he thought, but before he could speak she went on, "It was—just terrible without you. I've been so lonely. I thought I could live without you, but I was so wrong. I _need_ you."

His brows drew down, his stomach suddenly feeling sick. What was she talking about? When had she been lonely, or without him? _Elizabeth_ was the one who insisted on returning to the castle, _she_ was the one who sent him away. Unless—unless she was talking about—

"Meliodas, please," she whimpered. He could hear the tears in her voice, and it interrupted the question forming in his mind, her pain suddenly gripping him sharply. Her arms were suddenly around him, her hands sliding over the skin of his bare chest. "Please open your eyes. Please come back to me."

 _I'm right here_ , he tried to say, but the words stuck in his throat as he felt her wet face pressing on his shoulder.

"I can't live without you." Her lips were right next to his ear, and he shivered again with the sensation. Then his breath caught with the next words, "I love you."

Meliodas choked suddenly, as if the air in the room had been sucked out; he shook himself and opened his eyes, sitting up straight in the bed. It was dark now, incredibly dark, showing that it was much later than before. Quickly he looked around, and when he saw that he was alone, he sighed. He had fallen asleep. His eyes went to the window, still shut tightly.

Looking down, he saw that he was still only half dressed, but a blanket had been pulled up around him. Was it Elizabeth? Had she been here? Or was that just a dream?

* * *

 **A/N:** The story is winding down... or is it gearing up? Either way, there are only a few more chapters left. I know I gush each time about the reception and how much this means to me, but I cannot express how happy I am that you are all reading and enjoying this fic. I planned this most of the fall, and the writing in winter came in unpredictable bursts. And of course, the plot changed a handful of times with the writing. The little flashbacks at the beginning were a late add-in too, but I felt like they could give Meliodas a sense of wholeness when trying to unravel the mystery.

So basically what I'm saying is.. _thank you_ for being a part of this story, because it ended up being a part of me.

 **BettyBest2:** My fascination with Margaret is well known, and I _had_ to have her in this story. I think when Elizabeth is written in some kind of peril, it's easy to forget that Meliodas isn't the only one who is connected to her in a meaningful way. And as for the others... as you could see, Meliodas still has a few loyal friends, even now.

 **Nhus321:** You were so close! XD Your review cracked me up nevertheless. This is a bit soapy, isn't it? My friends usually chastise me for saying I write melodrama, but what they don't realize is I don't find that insulting.

 **QueenGreen23:** You did? Hahahahaha... You're that person who figures out the murderer on page 3, aren't you? Well, I guess we'll find out if you're right in the end.

 **TheGreatLlamaFish:** I can't tell you if it was really Mel, but the reason why Gowther answered.

 **aviselan:** Cliffhangers are my absolute favorite. It's funny you say you want everyone to be happy again. Is anyone ever really happy? Is that even possible, or is happiness an illusion? Let me know if you change your mind after the end of the story.

 **Anonymous:** I absolutely loved writing Bartra and Gilthunder in this story. I really wanted to explore what would happen if Meliodas clashed with the Liones authority. I would think in any ordinary circumstance he would just leave, but with Elizabeth in the mix it's impossible. And since he could just wipe them out and do whatever he wanted, he has to keep himself from doing just that.

 **Llama:** Memories are tricky things, and something Nakaba likes to write about for sure. When you look back on events, they are always distorted somehow. So what really is truth? (Heavy for a fan fic, I know, I'm rambling.) As for Hawk... he is still missing, isn't he?

 **Guest:** I'm glad you still have faith in Mel! I honestly thought more people would react negatively to the reveal, and I'm glad our beloved Sin has so many devotees. I'm afraid after this chapter the suspense is going to get twisted up a bit more again, so please rest up.


	9. Shifting

**Part Nine: Shifting**

Meliodas carried firewood into the kitchen when he heard a strange noise. He paused, listening carefully, his heart practically in his throat. It was silent, and after several moments when he could only hear the thudding of his heart, he would have sworn he imagined it… until it came again. Like a little knock, or a scratching.

"Elizabeth?" he whispered, knowing it was impossible. The princess had been missing for more than three months, not a single sign or sighting of her in Britannia. Meliodas carefully and silently placed the wood on the large table in the center of the room and listened again. There was a soft thud, and in an instant he moved, across the room and flinging open the pantry in a flash.

"What-?" he cried, drawing up short. A strangled sort of noise came from the closet, and when he looked down he saw a sniffling Hawk sitting in the middle of sacks of vegetables, munching absentmindedly around muffled sobs.

Puffing out an exasperated sigh, Meliodas said, "What in the world are you doing?"

"I'm so sad!" the boar whined, swallowing down a mouthful of carrots. "I miss Elizabeth!"

His heart gave a little twist, but Meliodas sighed, "Come on out of there. If Ban finds out you ate all the food he'll cook _you_ for dinner."

With a few more sniffles Hawk trotted out, his head hanging low. "When are we gonna find her?" he asked. "I wish Elizabeth was here!"

"I do too, buddy," Meliodas answered around the lump in his throat. "But we are going to find her, I promise."

"You shouldn't make promises you can't keep," said Hawk. "You're never gonna find Elizabeth."

Meliodas frowned. "What are you talking about?" he asked. "Don't be silly. Of course we'll find her!"

"She's _goooooone_!" wailed the pig, throwing himself down and covering his eyes. "I just want to see Elizabeth!"

With another heaving breath, Meliodas rolled his eyes. "This is not going to help. Pull yourself together," he lightly admonished. "Do you honestly think I would _ever_ stop looking for her? _Ever_?"

Hawk peeked up at him, blinking back the large round tears in his eyes. "I suppose not," he murmured.

"Exactly! Now come on, up you go." He cheered Hawk on as the pig reluctantly stood, giving him an encouraging pat on his back. "That's a good boy. Now no more talk of not finding Elizabeth, okay?"

"Yeah," said Hawk sadly, but giving him a small smile anyway. Meliodas grinned back, and the pig trotted out of the kitchen and back to the main room.

As soon as the door swung shut, Meliodas went back to pick up the firewood he had put down, but paused. Suddenly the emptiness of not having Elizabeth struck him hard. She was the comforting one, the one Hawk would run to if he was upset or angry. He took a shaky breath and he felt his face go very hot, his throat suddenly a bit too tight. "Come back, Elizabeth," he whispered into the empty room.

* * *

Meliodas tossed for a while in bed, but he was still unnerved without Elizabeth there, especially since he didn't know where _exactly_ she was. The dream had set him on edge, and after the strange revelations from Gowther his mind would not stop. He flopped around the bed, wrapping himself in the covers, kicking them off, squeezing Elizabeth's pillow close, then tossing everything on the floor. Finally he laid spread out completely in the middle of the bed, blowing his bangs out of his face as he listened to the crickets outside.

Sleep was definitely not working. Meliodas sat up, leaning forward to press his hands on the mattress, stretching his back out. He drummed his fingers for a moment before looking at the window. It was still night out, and suddenly he felt itchy, the air too stuffy. Sliding out of bed, he crossed to the window, reaching out to open it.

Meliodas hesitated. This was the first time he was opening it since Elizabeth had returned, and he had almost done it without even a thought. Swallowing nervously, he admonished himself for being foolish and slid his fingers along the lock. But when he went to lift the latch, he saw that it was already undone.

A sickening feeling dropped into his stomach. Did he lock the window when he came upstairs? He was sure he did, he _had_ to have done it… but was he sure? And Ban had come up to check on him, it's possible his friend had opened the window. And Elizabeth too… she was there… wasn't she?

 _Was she_?

He pulled his shaking hand away from the window, taking a step backwards. The air that was once stuffy suddenly became suffocating, and Meliodas struggled to breathe, drawing in unsteady breaths: one, two, three. Then he turned and hastily ran out of the room, hurrying down the steps two at a time.

Meliodas stumbled in surprise to see Elizabeth sitting at a table alone, one hand propping her chin up on the wood surface while the other slowly stirred a cup of tea. She looked up as his feet pounded on the bottom step, her eyes widening in surprise to see him. "Sir Meliodas!" she exclaimed, her spoon tinkling as she dropped it into the cup. "What are you doing here?"

"I—" He stopped, not knowing what to say. His eyes traveled over her, still dressed in her dress from the castle. "I couldn't sleep," he finally answered.

Elizabeth gave him a sad smile. "Come sit," she said, waving him over. Obediently he walked towards the table, sliding into the seat next to her. "Here," she said, pushing the cup over towards him. "This will help you relax. I'll be right back."

Without a word he watched her walk into the kitchen, the door swaying a bit as she disappeared inside. Meliodas looked back down at the steaming tea, breathing in the warm heat rising from it. He sighed, picking up the cup and pressing the hot ceramic against his lips.

Behind him, the kitchen door opened, and Elizabeth returned, carrying another cup. She took her seat with a smile, and he tried to smile back at her; but the turmoil of everything that happened and the unease of finding the window unlocked made his nerves feel as though they were positively frayed. Hist stomach twisted, so Meliodas put down the cup without taking a sip. She looked at him with deep concern, tilting her head to the side, and frowned. "What's wrong?" she asked quietly.

"I found—" Again he was unable to finish his thought, wanting just in that moment to stare at her, to memorize every inch of her again. Elizabeth's eyes traced over his face in turn, and she raised a hand to gently brush her fingers down the side of his arm. Meliodas noticed then that he was still not wearing a shirt, and when he looked down he watched as her fingertips traced the dragon tattoo on his bicep. He shivered then, wondering if she had ever touched him like that, if _anyone_ had ever touched the symbol since it had been branded on his skin. He could not remember such a thing, and he was awestruck for a moment.

"I don't blame you, you know," she whispered. He looked at her face then, but she was looking at his arm, her face emotionless as she watched her fingers trace the circle over and over. "I don't care what Gowther saw in my mind. I know you could not have done this. It's not possible."

"Elizabeth…" he breathed. His voice trailed off, and Meliodas was reminded of his dream, when Elizabeth had stroked his forehead, when he had such difficulty speaking. This moment was eerily similar, so he shook himself, forcing himself to say something. "What are you doing here?" he asked finally.

Her hand left his skin, and Meliodas was sorry to be without her touch. Elizabeth looked down at her lap, folding her hands as she blushed slightly. "I didn't want to go back," she admitted. "You seemed so upset and I didn't want to leave. Then Sir Ban said you were sleeping, and since I wasn't tired anyway I—I didn't want to disturb you—" Her voice broke and she looked up at him, tears in the corners of her eyes. "I'm so sorry!" she whispered fiercely. "I should have never left. I don't know why I did, I… I was angry and frightened and… I just wish I knew why this was happening…"

Elizabeth buried her face in her hands, and at once Meliodas was up, his own arms around her and pulling her tightly against him. He cradled her closely, tucking her against his neck and chest, pressing his cheek on the top of her head. "Please don't cry," he said. "I understand, and it's okay. I should have listened to you anyway. I've been going about this all wrong."

"You just want to protect me," she sniffled. "And I keep getting in the way."

"Don't be silly," he said. "You're never in the way."

"Is that why you stopped looking for me?"

Meliodas froze, the hand that was rubbing her back stopping. He swallowed thickly before answering, "No, that's not why."

Elizabeth sat up, pulling away from him. "I don't blame you," she said quietly. "I was gone a very long time, after all."

Huffing in exasperation he said, "Do you honestly think I'd ever _really_ stop looking for you? _Ever_?"

Meliodas frowned, a strange feeling pricking the back of his neck. His eyes quickly scanned the dimly lit room, hesitating just slightly on the front door, before returning to the princess. "I suppose not," she said sadly.

"I was weak," he answered. "I missed you so much, it hurt. It was painful, Elizabeth."

"You are not weak," she insisted, her hand gripping his arm. "You are the strongest person I know."

"No, I'm not, I—" Why were words so difficult around her? This was _Elizabeth_. Meliodas pressed his lips together, closing his eyes briefly as he fought to say something, anything, to explain his behavior. "Losing you was—it was too much. I looked everywhere, I swear I did. I looked—I looked _everywhere_. You have to believe me." Meliodas leaned forward, his face and voice pleading. "I wanted to keep looking. I did, but I couldn't, there was—there was nowhere left." His brows drew down sharply, his lungs feeling tight. "I didn't know what to do. There was no one to help, no one to ask—and you were _gone_."

His head was pounding now, the tension in his brow causing his temples to throb. Elizabeth looked back at him with the same guarded expression, but her eyes were strange, as if it was sympathy mixed with something he could not recognize. "But why did you stop?" she asked quietly.

Meliodas drew back a bit, his eyebrow twitching for a moment. "What do you mean? I just told you—"

"I mean," she whispered, "what finally convinced you? What made you decide to stop looking for me, for good?"

His eyes fell as his shoulders sagged. "I don't know," he murmured. "I don't—it's all kind of hazy." He struggled to think back, but spending weeks in an inebriated stupor made it hard to figure out what was real and what was a dream. "I just knew that it was pointless. I knew if I kept going, I would go mad if I didn't find you."

"You needed to find a way to live," finished Elizabeth.

He peeked up at her. "Yes."

Elizabeth turned her face away, her eyes glancing downwards. "I understand," she said quietly, but something about the tone of her voice and the stiffness in her back told him that perhaps she did not, not completely. "If you ever left me, if you were ever just—just _gone_ , I don't know if I could stop," she answered. "Even if you died, even then, I wouldn't stop looking for you. I wouldn't stop hoping that somehow, you would come back to me."

Meliodas took a shuddering breath, feeling a twisting sob in his chest. "I'm sorry," he bit out harshly. "I shouldn't have stopped. I should have kept looking, I—I was wrong." He shook his head, squeezing his eyes closed. "I'm so sorry, Elizabeth."

He looked up at her, new determination in his eyes. "I will find who did this. I will find who took you and I will see them destroyed. I promise you."

Elizabeth finally looked at him then, her eyes soft. "You shouldn't make promises you can't keep," she whispered.

Meliodas grit his teeth, his face flushing with a rush of heat. He stood, not knowing what to do, so he scooped up the teacups in his hands and stormed into the kitchen. With an angry grunt he tossed them into the sink, not even wincing as the noise of them shattering echoed loudly in the empty and silent room. He pressed his hands against the edge of the sink, breathing heavily with his head bowed.

Why had he stopped? What was it that made him stop looking? The truth is, he didn't know. He had no idea what had changed between hearing the Holy Knights were going to cease their searching and deciding to lose himself to drink. His fingers dug into the wood of the table, forming dents where it cracked under the pressure. Why couldn't he remember? What was _happening_ to him?

Meliodas could recall Margaret visiting him, offering him money to keep searching. He remembered going around Liones again, then expanding his search through Britannia, heading towards Camelot and even to where Edinburgh once stood. He roamed from coast to coast, looking, searching, trying to find _anything_ in those last desperate weeks. Citizens were re-interviewed, forests and lakes searched again.

Yet he could recall a new sense of pressure, as if time was running out. It felt as though a clock was running backwards, and if he did not find Elizabeth by the time the countdown ended, then she would be lost forever. Where did that come from? Had Merlin told him something? He frowned, trying to remember. Why was it all so _hazy_? It was as if everything before giving up was crystal clear, but once he had made that decision… the days had shifted, the memories mixed together, none of his senses could be trusted.

There was a noise, and he looked up. The window over the sink was closed, and he could see the stars hanging brightly in the night sky. The noise came again, and all at once Meliodas knew what it was. He stalked to the pantry and threw it open; there, sitting on the floor in the dark, was Hawk.

"What are you doing?" he exclaimed. "Why are you in here?" He remembered that it had been _days_ since he had seen his friend, and his hands went to his hips in frustration and relief. "Where have you been? I've been looking for you!"

"I'm just so lonely!" Hawk cried, a tear falling from his eye. "I feel better when I'm in here."

"Don't be silly," Meliodas said. "Come on, come out here now."

Slowly Hawk climbed to his feet, reluctantly trotting out into the kitchen. "Are you hungry?" Meliodas asked.

The boar sniffled and nodded. "I'll get you something," Meliodas said, and laughed when Hawk squealed, "No thank you!"

He pulled out a loaf of bread and handed it to Hawk. "Ban made these. It should be safe enough."

Hawk took the loaf thankfully and got to work with chewing. Meliodas looked at him tiredly, but fondly, before crouching down in front of the pig. "Why did you say you were lonely?" he asked.

"Because I miss Elizabeth," answered Hawk.

Meliodas frowned. "What are you talking about? She's in the other room."

"She's back? Elizabeth is _back_?!" Hawk squealed. He bolted through the kitchen door, and Meliodas stood slowly, the uneasy feeling on the back of his neck returning. He watched the door as it swung back and forth, back and forth, until moments later, Hawk trotted back in, snorting, "You are horrible! She's not out there! Are you trying to trick me?"

"Of course she's out there," Meliodas snapped, fear gripping him intensely as he pushed past the boar and flew back into the main room.

* * *

 **A/N:** I am so happy this story is continuing to have all of you still reading it. I am happy? sad? to let you know there are only two chapters now remaining. So please hold tight, answers will be coming soon! Your kind words and your passion for this fic has been amazing and overwhelming. Thank you so much for sticking with this!

 **BettyBest2:** Without giving anything away, you are on to something. What that something is, you'll soon discover.

 **Llama:** I really made it a point to give Meliodas _some_ allies in this story, even when everyone is a suspect. Ban has certainly proven in the manga to be completely on his side, no matter what.

 **Night's Bullet:** I know the episode you are referring to! I wish I could confirm or deny, but doing either would give it all away honestly. But this fic was influenced by multiple sources.

 **Nhus321:** I have an inkling to how sad you were, because I cried as I wrote it, as did Vetur02 as she watched me write it. I don't think she spoke to me for a few days.

 **EJR Horselady:** I'm appreciative that you continued reading despite the hair tearing! I understand wanting to do this story in chunks, so when you finally read this, please accept my thanks.

 **TheGreatLlamaFish:** I heard it loud and clear. (MANGA SPOILER ALERT: With the newest chapter, it certainly seemed to imply that there have been multiple Elizabeths... and I wondered if he would ever consciously decide to disengage.) Now you are the third person to compare this chapter to that of a dream or when Meliodas was dead. I really love it.

 **Vhosek:** I'm so glad you have a theory! I can't wait to hear if you were right or not!

 **mon coeur:** We've spoken already this week but I must thank you once more for your kindness. I hope this chapter satisfied your need for the grapes. Or were the grapes pulled away again?

 **SheWolf412:** Clarity is coming, I promise, and sooner than you'll realize.

 **LoveIsNotAChoice:** Thank you so much for giving this fic a chance! I hope that your theory is proven correct. :D


	10. Falling

**Part Ten: Falling**

"That was some night!" Meliodas laughed, calling through the door of the washroom. He quickly scrubbed his hands and face, rinsing out his mouth and spitting into the sink, before stepping out into the bedroom. He shivered a little with a chill when he stepped out, a little gust of cold air coming in the window.

"It was very busy," Elizabeth agreed as she pulled the bedspreads back. He stopped mid-step to pause and admire the girl as she stacked the pillows at the head of the bed and folded the sheet over the extra blanket. Even in the woolen nightgown she wore, with its high collar and long sleeves and hem that nearly reached the ground, she looked beautiful, and fresh, her cheeks shining beneath the silver hair that swept over her face. Meliodas could not help the lopsided grin as he watched her delicate hands smooth the cover, and when she looked up she returned the smile for a moment before stifling a yawn.

Meliodas laughed again. "Come on then, into bed," he ordered, walking around towards his side. The wind blew again, and again he shivered, looking over his shoulder. "It's a pretty cold night," he remarked. "Can I shut this?"

"No, please," answered Elizabeth tiredly behind him. "The tavern was so stuffy tonight, I'm glad for the fresh air."

He hesitated, suddenly unsure. If he left the window open all night, then they might catch a cold… well, not _him_ of course, but Elizabeth could. He thought to protest, but then Meliodas had a better idea. "Well, if you want to keep the window open in the middle of winter, then you'll need to do something for _me_ ," he said.

Turning back around, he saw the princess sitting up in the bed, the blankets drawn up around her. Her brows lifted as she said, "What is that?"

"You gotta keep me warm." He yanked the blankets back and jumped into the bed, tackling her over onto her back. Elizabeth gave a shriek of laughter, her hands pressing on his shoulders, and Meliodas pressed his cold nose on her neck. "Now promise me."

He rolled them over, and Elizabeth giggled as she landed on top of him. "Sir Meliodas, please!" she shrieked, his fingers pulling up her gown and sliding along her bare leg. "Your hands are cold!"

"Be my blanket then," he smirked. Elizabeth pressed on his chest, lifting her upper body up to look down on him with a wry look. "Fine," she answered. "But no more cold hands on me, please!"

Meliodas nodded as she reached down to grasp the covers; in a minute they were completely wrapped up, their arms around each other, Elizabeth's head on his shoulder as she curled against him. She yawned again, and he closed his eyes, the movement of her mouth against his skin sending a little thrill through him.

They laid in silence for several minutes before Elizabeth shifted against him. Meliodas was feeling very drowsy himself, and he turned his face to look at her. He had put out the lights, so the room was dark, the shadows deep with only a sliver of moon outside. Another breeze blew in through the open window, and Elizabeth shivered, pressing tighter to him. "Hey, you're supposed to be keeping _me_ warm," he joked.

She giggled, lifting her face up to gently kiss his forehead. "Don't forget that there is a delivery tomorrow. The vegetables are coming at nine in the morning."

"I'll be up, don't worry," he murmured. Sleep was pulling him down rapidly, his skin warm, soothed by the comforting weight of Elizabeth pressed against him. It was such a simple thing, this little moment of domesticity, snuggling under the covers and hearing her remind him of some chore for the next day. It wasn't something he was used to in his life, and the pure pleasure of the moment made him feel almost light. He could stay like this forever, tumbling into dreamland with his love cradled to him, her voice echoing in his ears, the cold breeze coming through the open window and making them shift closer together.

* * *

Elizabeth sat at the table, just where he had left her, and Meliodas breathed a sigh of relief. "Hawk!" he called over his shoulder. "What is wrong with you? Elizabeth is right here!"

"Hawk?" Elizabeth asked, blinking in surprise. "Hawk is here?!" She jumped up frantically, nearly knocking over her stool. "Where? Where is he?"

Meliodas frowned. "He's back here in the kitchen. He was hiding in the—" He was cut off as she hurried past him, nearly knocking into him as she stumbled into the kitchen calling, "Hawk! Hawk!"

"What's the matter?" he asked her, stepping up to put a hand on her arm as she turned back and forth, searching the room. Finally she looked down at him, her eyes shimmering. "Where did you see him? Where?"

"Right… right over there." He gestured towards the table, but the pig had disappeared. Huffing in annoyance, Meliodas walked over to the pantry. "Didn't I tell you to keep out of there?" he said, his voice tinged with frustration; but when he opened the door to the small closet, the bar was not there either. "Where did he run off to now?"

Elizabeth gave a small sound behind him, and he turned in surprise to see her crying openly now. "He was here?" she whispered. "He was really here?"

"Yes, of course he was here, where else would he be?" Meliodas asked warily.

Shaking her head, the princess pressed her hands to her face. "It's been months and _months_ , and he just… came back? Where did he go?" She began to hurry around the kitchen again, pulling open cabinets and drawers, calling "Hawk! Hawk! Please come out!" over and over again.

Meliodas watched her in growing confusion. Why was she reacting this way? Slowly he walked around the room behind her, wondering again what was happening. "Elizabeth?" he said tentatively.

She ignored him, however, finally running to the door that led outside. "Hawk! Hawk!" she cried, hurrying out into the night, and Meliodas bolted after her. "Elizabeth!" he shouted, running to catch her. He grabbed her arm and yanked her backwards before she could get further than a few yards away. "Elizabeth, stop! You can't go out there by yourself!"

"Where did he go? Where is he?" She was nearly sobbing now, her words jumbling as she cried. "Was he really here?" Elizabeth grabbed Meliodas by his shoulders, panting as she asked him frantically, "You are sure it was him? You are sure you saw him?"

"Get a hold of yourself!" he snapped, grabbing her hands and holding them tightly. "Why are you so upset? You've seen Hawk since you came back!"

Elizabeth jerked back a bit, looking at him with confusion. "What do you mean?"

"You've seen Hawk. You've talked to him since you came back." Meliodas' brows turned down, remembering how he hadn't seen much of the boar either. "Haven't you?"

"I—I don't understand. Get back? From where?" She shook her head. "I don't know what you mean."

Meliodas froze, staring at her for a long moment. "Elizabeth," he said slowly. "You were missing. You were gone for ten months."

"What?" The princess blinked at him in surprise. "I haven't been missing." Meliodas stepped back, his breath catching with the shock. "Sir Meliodas, what are you saying?"

"Elizabeth, stop this," he answered, his tone serious and strained. "You went missing. You just came back days ago."

She stared back at him in shock, her look he was sure reflecting his own, and twisted her hands nervously together. "Sir Meliodas?" came her nervous reply. "I didn't go missing. It's _Hawk_ who has been missing."

"No," he breathed, and she went on, "We haven't seen him since winter. Don't you remember? We've been looking everywhere for him."

"No," answered Meliodas firmly, shaking his head. "It's not Hawk that has been gone, it's _you_."

Elizabeth stepped backwards, drawing her hands up to her chest. "Maybe I should—I should get someone—" She looked over her shoulder towards the Boar Hat, but he was already moving, grabbing her by the elbow and nearly dragging her behind him. He pulled her back through the door of the kitchen, hearing her give a tight gasp in fear, and they moved through the empty room back into the front of the tavern. When they reached the table they had just been sitting at together, he finally released her. "Right there," he said with a shaking voice. "Right there you said you had been gone, and asked me why I stopped looking for you. Right there you said—"

His voice broke, and he looked up at Elizabeth with wide eyes. "Why don't you remember? What is wrong?"

Elizabeth's lip trembled a bit, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she looked around the room. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

"Elizabeth!" he shouted, his fists drawing in tightly. "Tell me you remember that!"

But she only shook her head, her eyes bright with fear, and then the sound of feet walking upstairs echoed down the steps. "Captain? You all right?" came King's voice. Then he was floating down the steps, yawning on Chastiefol, Ban and Merlin following.

"What's going on~" Ban asked sleepily.

"There's something wrong with Elizabeth," Meliodas said, but before he could explain Elizabeth cut him off. "He thinks I've been missing!" she cried, pointing a finger at him. "Sir Meliodas thinks I'm the one who has been gone, instead of Hawk! And he said he saw him in the kitchen!"

"You saw Master?" Ban practically shouted, suddenly becoming fully alert. "Where? Is he still there?" He hurried into the back without bothering to wait for an answer as Meliodas watched him go, horror creeping slowly through him.

"Captain?" Merlin asked. "Is this true?"

He whirled around, looking between the two Sins who were eyeing him closely. "Yeah, Elizabeth, she—" He shook his head, his eyes narrowing at them. "Tell her she is wrong."

Merlin and King glanced at one another. "Captain," King said, "Elizabeth hasn't been missing."

"What is this?" he growled, interrupted as Ban stormed back in the room. "Master's not in there." He stood next to Meliodas and looked down at him. "Where did you see him? Where did he go?"

"He was—he was in there—" He started to feel lightheaded, and Ban reached out to steady him. "It's not Hawk, it's _Elizabeth_ , she needs—she was missing—"

"Careful~" said Ban, and Meliodas reached out a hand to press against the table. "I'm fine," he insisted. "I'm fine, it's _her_ , Elizabeth is the one—she needs _help_ —"

"Help him upstairs," Merlin said, and Meliodas felt a tug on his arm. He tried to snatch it back, but then there were cool hands on his shoulders, and a soothing feeling beginning to fill him. "Elizabeth?" he said, and then the next thing he knew, he was being pressed against a soft mattress, a blanket being pulled over him.

Someone spoke about opening the window and getting fresh air. Meliodas tried to protest, and to his relief, Elizabeth said, "Please keep it locked. Sir Meliodas likes it that way." He closed his eyes and focused on breathing in and out as one of her hands pressed on his forehead.

There was more discussion, but he found it difficult to focus on one voice. They seemed to blend together: Merlin's smooth tone, Ban's deeper voice contrasting with King's, and Elizabeth's sweet one over them all. He could have sworn he heard Gowther's, and Diane's, and others he didn't recognize, and he squeezed his eyes shut tighter, wishing everyone would be quiet so he could just _think_.

* * *

Elizabeth was still there when he came fully awake. The room was blessedly quiet, the only sound a muted bird outside of the window. He blinked in the sunlight streaming into the room, and when he turned his head towards the warmth, he was happy to see the princess sitting in a chair next to the bed.

She was dozing a bit, slumped to the side, her elbow propped up on the arm of the chair with her head resting in the palm of her hand. Her expression was peaceful, so unlike the anxiety on her face the night before, and he took the opportunity to just enjoy looking at her beautiful face. A moment like this was enough to remind him of how difficult the past months had been, and why he was pushing to keep up the search. There was _nothing_ that was going to keep him from her.

But he didn't have to worry about that anymore. There was Elizabeth, sitting just an arm's reach away. Yet Meliodas did not want to break the spell of this moment, and so stayed silent and unmoving, smiling at the dark lashes on her cheeks and the way her chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm. She must have taken care of him last night, after he had—

What _had_ happened?

Meliodas frowned for a moment. Elizabeth had insisted that she was never missing, and the Sins… they seemed to agree with her. But Meliodas remembered her being gone. He _knew_ he was right. The fear and pain and loneliness of it all was still too fresh for it to be a mistake. It was real, it had all been real. So why were they all insisting that it wasn't?

He flipped through the possibilities as he watched her sleep. His immediate assumption was that this was some kind of spell, something that altered all their memories. But that didn't explain why Hawk and suddenly appeared and then disappeared again; and if everyone was affected by this spell, it would be nearly impossible to prove unless he could convince someone else to believe him.

Of course, it could be that they were doing this on purpose. Something felt off about this idea too, however. He knew that the Holy Knights had been acting oddly: that the king and the others had wanted to give up the search much earlier than he had expected, and that they seemed at best indifferent and at worst careless regarding Elizabeth's continued safety. But all of them involved, the other Sins? Elizabeth? It wasn't possible.

Elizabeth began to stir, sitting up suddenly as she blinked away sleep, and Meliodas chuckled. As he watched her lift her arms and arch her back in a stretch, he realized this was the second time he had fallen asleep under her watch. It was probably the first real sleep he had gotten in months, in fact; even since her return he had been finding it difficult to relax and stay still long enough to sleep soundly. It was like he needed to soak up every moment with her, and there was no time for anything else.

She yawned and looked over at him, offering a small smile. "Good morning," she said quietly, standing a bit stiffly and moving to sit on the end of the bed.

Meliodas smiled back at her, reaching behind his head to link his fingers together. "Did you sleep in that chair all night?"

"I hate leaving your side," she answered. Gently she brushed his bangs off of his forehead, tucking a few pieces behind his ear. "In all this time, your hair hasn't really changed at all, you know," she remarked.

He looked up with a grin. "I guess not. But I like it anyway."

"Maybe I'll give you a trim one of these days," she laughed, her eyes running over his look of horror. "All right, all right, no trim," she answered.

Fondness was plain on her face as she looked him over. Meliodas didn't want to interrupt this sweet moment, but the questions he had been holding in were beginning to demand his attention. "Elizabeth," he said quietly, "we need to talk about last night. We need to figure out what happened."

"I tried my best to heal you," she responded. "Now that I've had some sleep, I'll keep working."

Meliodas sighed. "I don't need any healing. I'm fine."

"I have five done; just two more," she continued, as if she hadn't heard him. Just then, the sound of the bell over the front door sounded, and Elizabeth looked up. She stood with another glance down at him. "I'll be right back," she said before breezing out of the room.

He relaxed for another minute or two, his eyes sliding closed. When Elizabeth didn't return right away, he pulled the covers away and sat up, stretching out his shoulders and rubbing a hand through his hair. Then he lifted his eyes, gasping out loud in shock when he looked at the window.

It was night.

"What?" he cried, jumping up and hurrying over. Quickly he unhooked the lock, swinging the window open, and leaned out. The sky was dark, covered in stars; below him, the lights from inside the tavern bled outside onto the grass that surrounded the tavern. He could hear voices drifting upwards from what sounded like a full service downstairs.

Shaking his head, Meliodas pulled himself back inside. How could it be night already? Did he sleep the entire day away? He pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes, trying to think. It was morning just minutes ago, he _knew_ it was. Just like he knew he had seen Hawk the night before. Just like he knew Elizabeth had been missing for ten months.

Spinning around, Meliodas grabbed his shirt and pulled it on, stopping to slip on his boots, before walking with long strides to the door. He flung it open, the sounds from downstairs instantly louder. The lamps in the hallway were lit, but other than that the upstairs was still and quiet.

Everything had been wrong since Elizabeth came back: everyone was acting strangely, he was lashing out, even time seemed to be off somehow. There were answers somewhere, there had to be, so Meliodas descended the stairs to the main room to find Elizabeth.

The tavern was full, just as he suspected, every table and stool taken, people standing in every available corner. The noise was rowdy, just on this side of wild, the kind of night that he would normally love working. But now it was agitating, the lights too bright, the voices too loud. He weaved his way through the room, heading for the bar. No one was there, and he made a noise in frustration. Where was everyone?

"Elizabeth?" he called out, trying to see around the throng for her. She must be waitressing, but where? Who was pouring the drinks? Ban wasn't at his cook station either, so Meliodas forced his way back through the people towards the kitchen. When he finally reached the door, he nearly stumbled through as he pushed it open.

She stood at the back door, hanging wide open, staring out into the night, the breeze that blew in lifting her hair from her shoulders. "Elizabeth!" Meliodas said sharply, but she did not answer. Instead, she lifted a hand outwards, and then slowly stepped forward and into the night.

"Stop!" he cried. There was nothing there, nothing that he could see, but the feeling that this was wrong was as clear as crystal. He ran forward, reaching behind his back for his sword, cursing when he found it was not there. A moment later he was outside, the night very dark except for the square of light coming from the door behind him.

"Elizabeth! Stop!" Meliodas scanned the blackness until he spotted her, walking away from the tavern. He took off in a flash, but his feet felt heavy, and as much as he tried he could not move fast enough. "Elizabeth!" he screamed. "Elizabeth!"

She halted, her back facing him, and then she looked up in the sky. He followed her gaze, and immediately he sensed there was something there, something _coming_ , a black shape in the sky moving faster than any animal he knew. His skin prickled in a familiar way, and Meliodas remembered the black shape that had slid along the castle wall and into her bedroom. "No! No!" he yelled. "Elizabeth, come back here! Get away from there!"

The shadow was descending now, the wind picking up speed, and Meliodas raised his arms to shield his eyes. "Elizabeth, please!" he pleaded, his voice breaking. He tried and tried to walk forward, but the force of the wind held him back no matter how much he dug his heels in and pressed his strength forward.

"Don't you touch her!" he screamed wildly as the shadow touched the ground. Meliodas squinted, trying to make out a shape, a face, _something_ , but it was impossible. "Elizabeth, get away from there!"

She turned then, glancing over her shoulder. "Meliodas," she said, "you should go back to sleep."

"What are you _doing_?" he wailed. "What is happening?"

"I have to go," she answered sadly, but he cried, "No, you don't! Whatever this is, you don't have to do this!"

Elizabeth turned her head more, finally meeting his eyes with hers. "I had to leave to give you something to do. I couldn't let you find your way. But then you gave up looking for me."

He shook his head, panic making him shake, the fear pulsing in his head. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to stop looking. I didn't want to! Elizabeth please, please stay!"

"When I came back, I thought you would be happy," she said sadly; as if he was not pleading with her, as if his heart was not breaking. "I thought you would be content."

"I _am_ happy," he shouted. "Elizabeth, why are you doing this!? If you're angry with me, think of your father! Your sisters!"

"Will you look for me again?" she asked.

The shadow began to move, slowly covering her, and a scream tore from the demon. "Stop! _Stop!_ " With every ounce of his power, he flung himself forward, and incredibly he was moving, his hands reaching out to grab hold of her as he raced forward. "Elizabeth, take my hand!"

She turned to face him then, the shadow nearly covering her. "Will you look for me again?" she asked, one last time, and then she was covered in the darkness. Meliodas roared, jumping from the ground to catch her in his arms; but in a blink she was gone, and his hands swiped through air.

A sob went through him, and Meliodas curled in on himself, wincing and bracing himself to slam into the ground. But instead, he fell, the darkness rushing around him and roaring in his ears. Every hair on his body and every inch of his skin seemed to be pulled with the blast of it, and all he could do was tense and wait for the inevitable impact.

When it hit, it was not as painful as he had imagined; but when he opened his eyes, all he saw was the pitch blackness. He wondered absurdly if he had gone blind; then, even more ridiculous, wondered if it was a nightmare and if he had fallen out of bed. Yet as he blinked, a dim light came into view, far off. Climbing up on hands and knees, he shook off the terror he had just experienced and looked upwards.

He was in a cave, a massive cave, the ceiling seeming miles above. Jagged rocks formed stalactites and stalagmites everywhere, and he could hear his harsh breathing echoing back at him in the silent chamber. His head pounded, his eyes feeling as though they would break from the pressure closing in on him. Wearily he pushed himself up to stand on unsteady legs.

Meliodas turned towards the light source, still unable to see in the grayness. But immediately he felt the presence of something familiar, its energy massive and focused on him. A splash of cold went down his spine, and he worked at keeping himself from giving into the fear demanding his attention. As he approached the energy, Meliodas felt his demon powers spark to life, pulsing just beneath his skin, crackling like fire. He pulled his shoulders back, ready to face whatever it was, when a voice boomed out, "Welcome to Purgatory."

* * *

 **A/N:** As always, thank you for reading. I welcome your comments: the good, the bad, and the ugly. But whether you do or not, just know that I appreciate every person that has taken the time to read and continue with this story.

Only one more chapter left, and I hope I haven't failed you.

 **QueenGreen23:** You could say that... and you could not.

 **BettyBest2:** You might not have been guessing, but perhaps now you'll see what I mean. And you've now come to your moment, I hope it was to your expectation.

 **Vhosek:** I do love honest moments between Meliodas and Elizabeth, don't you? It's a shame there aren't more of them in canon.

 **aviselan:** My goodness, do you need help? :D Thank you so much for the kind words. The wait is nearly over.

 **LoveIsNotAChoice:** I knew as I was writing Hawk would play some kind of important role. After all, after Elizabeth, he's the closest to Meliodas.

 **Nhus321:** As a writer I am flattered that you were able to make such a connection to that scene. It is frustrating to try to explain your heart to someone who already has a set idea and can't get past it long enough to listen.

 **Llama:** I'm glad you made the connection between Hawk and Elizabeth's dialogue, that was there intentionally. Yes, Meliodas' trials continue, but the conclusion is coming.

 **mon coeur:** I am pleased to hear the story has you in such a whirlwind. I do hope you were able to pull yourself back onto firmer ground with this chapter...?


	11. Waking

**Part Eleven: Waking**

That voice. It was familiar, and dangerous, and filled Meliodas with a dread he hadn't felt in a very long time. "We have nothing but time now," it said, "so let's have a long chat, shall we?"

"I don't think so," he answered. Meliodas placed his hands on his hips and grinned, trying to sound casual, but inside his chest was tightening, his stomach churning. Casually he looked around, sweeping his eyes for any sign of Elizabeth. Had the demon brought her here as well? Is that what that shadow had been?

"Do not bother looking," the voice laughed, and Meliodas could not help the surprise that registered on his face when he whirled back towards the growing shadow. "That woman is not here."

Meliodas huffed. "I don't know what you are talking about," he began, but the dark voice cut him off. "Do not act like a fool," it admonished with disdain. "It has been three thousand years since she has converted you into the worthless thing you are now; but do not pretend with me. I have the Eye, remember, and can see all."

"Is that how you've been watching me?" he asked, walking forward. "You need a new hobby."

"Is that fear?" replied the voice. "Or is it anger? You have so _many_ emotions now, my son… it can be difficult to tell at times."

Meliodas smiled. "So I'm dead now, is that it?" He shrugged. "Doesn't matter much. Thanks to that curse you put on me, I'm gonna come back to life anyway!"

He grinned at the shadow, feeling satisfied with this bit of defiance. But when the voice began to laugh, his smile turned cold. "And who do you think allows you to return to your body? I send you back so you can fill yourself again, and I can feed on your emotions."

"I have no idea what you are talking about," Meliodas bit out, looking around warily.

"You still lie, I see," it answered. "This arrangement benefits us both. But now I have found a better way to use you. A faster way to replenish my power."

Meliodas stilled, halting his approach, his eyes steady on the deepening shadow ahead. It seemed to be rising from the ground, growing larger and larger by the moment. "Your emotions sate my hunger and thirst," it went on. "Yet your death takes too long. I want my power _now_. My Commandments are even now taking Britannia back for my glory. I will be ready for when they succeed."

"What have you done?" he whispered.

"I discovered that it didn't matter if you were _alive_ or _dead_. Your _love_ for that woman is overwhelming even you. You should thank me, I have done you a kindness." Meliodas sucked in a breath, his fingers drawing into a tightening fist. "Now you can experience it all without actually having to live."

"You kept me distracted," Meliodas growled. "You gave me these—what were they? Visions? Dreams?"

"It felt real enough, didn't it?" the king answered. "Did you love that girl any less? Did you miss her any less?"

Fury started to pulse through him. "How long?" he asked. "How long have I been down here?"

"Time means nothing to creatures like us," was the answer. "Besides, I tried to give you a pleasant enough existence. All the things a spineless one as yourself would want: peace, happiness, an easy life. But it wasn't enough. You started to wake up."

"So you took Elizabeth away," Meliodas breathed. "So I would stay focused _there_ instead of here." He sucked in a sharp breath. "Why give her back then?"

"Your emotions become too dull when you drink," scolded the king. "I had thought for sure you would never stop looking for her."

Suddenly everything struck him at once: the unexplained absences, the faulty way time seemed to work, the strange way everyone behaved. But there were still moments that seemed so very _real_ : when Elizabeth whispered to him at night, her hands on his cheek, her confession of love. Was any of it real?

"Where is Elizabeth now?" he demanded.

"Don't worry," the king answered. "Soon you'll forget all of this. After all, you forgot her once. When you sleep again, I won't make the mistake of allowing you to be together this time."

" _I'd like to see you try!_ " Meliodas roared. He leapt forward, summoning all of his strength, fueled by the pain and the joy and the misery and the relief of loving Elizabeth, lunging at the demon king, prepared to fight to the death to return to her.

* * *

Meliodas opened his eyes. He was in bed in the Boar Hat, the feeling incredibly familiar as sunlight streamed in through the window. The very _open_ window.

Quickly he leapt out of bed, running to shut it, but as his hand gripped the latch he paused. There was a terrible sound outside, and all at once he felt the presence of very powerful creatures; energies he had not felt for a very, very long time. There were sounds of a battle, and he noticed the tavern was moving; what was happening?

Then an unbelievable pressure filled the air, causing the hairs on the back of his neck to stand. That could only be the power of a Commandment—but here? At the Boar Hat?

Then he remembered what the shadowy form of the king had told him: the Commandments were taking Britannia, and Meliodas looked down.

Leaning out the opened window, he spotted Derieri as she reared her fist back and hit someone, sending him toppling backwards on the back of Hawk Mama. He was about to go and find a weapon when suddenly, a light caught his attention. The brightness and the warmth seemed to grip his very soul. It had been thousands of years since he felt the presence of a goddess, and as he blinked to look through the blinding whiteness, his eyes widened to see it was Elizabeth.

Derieri's hand exploded, and Elizabeth was shouting, her voice sending a tremor through him. He stepped up on the ledge and jumped, just as the Commandment lifted her arm to strike.

Elizabeth screamed, but he landed next to them, grabbing the fist as it flew towards her as he threw a hit of his own, landing directly on Derieri's stomach. At once the _power_ of his strength seemed to flow through him in a rush both frightening and thrilling. It was as if all of his senses were waking up at once, and ironically he supposed it was true. He could see, hear, feel _everything_ , his emotions coursing through him like a storm: fear, hate, love, wanting to kill, wanting to eat, wanting to grab hold of something and _twist._

Derieri went careening off the side of the boar, Monspeet following with a shout, and behind him he could see in his mind's eye Elizabeth falling. In a flash of speed that had been impossible even a month ago he caught her up in his arms, his muscles shaking and twitching with the familiar sensation. Her eyes and mouth popped open in surprise, a deep blush forming over her cheeks, and Meliodas felt like he could laugh and cry and scream all at once.

Instead, he said shakily, "Now then… it seems like I've been asleep. Looks like things have gotten pretty bad." Meliodas looked around for a moment before his eyes were drawn back to her, as they always were. Was this real? Was he asleep again? She felt so warm and perfect in his arms—but she had before. Hadn't she?

"I made you wait quite a while," he said quietly, wondering exactly how long it _had_ been. It was three hundred eleven days since Elizabeth had gone missing, the number rising to the front of his mind instantly. But she hadn't gone missing at all. Elizabeth had been there the entire time. It was _he_ who had been gone all this time.

 _Meliodas, I need you with me. I don't want to be apart anymore._

 _Please open your eyes. Please come back to me._

"I believed…" she whispered, her hand moving to cover her mouth.

 _Did you sleep in that chair all night?_

 _I hate leaving your side._

"I believed you would return, Meliodas," she cried.

Her hands went around his neck, her wet face pressed against the side of his, and Meliodas smiled. The Demon King could never understand such a simple thing. His heart did a little flip hearing her say his name— _Meliodas_ , not _Sir._ There was no way the king could know what that meant. He knew that _this_ was real.

* * *

 **A/N:** It is with an extremely heavy heart that I give you this final chapter. I absolutely loved sharing every word with all of you, and it is such a bittersweet feeling to come to the end of a story that I loved writing so much.

I hope that you all found this ending satisfactory. I welcome your comments, both good and bad. I truly value your honesty.

Thank you all for reading. See you in the next fic!


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